Kenyan Teacher Recalls Childhood Poverty After Police Raid on Chang’aa Brewers

Kenyan teacher Ngeiywo Chesebe Benjamin has shared a deeply personal account of growing up in poverty, recalling how his mother turned to illicit brewing to help provide food and pay his school expenses.

Benjamin said recent images of police officers and an area chief destroying drums reportedly used to make chang’aa brought back memories of his childhood and the difficult choices his family faced.

According to his account, his mother brewed busaa and chang’aa as she struggled to support the family. 

Benjamin says the income helped provide basic needs and keep him in school during a period when the family had few alternatives.

He recalled one incident when he and his mother buried a drum containing busaa in the ground to hide it from police officers who frequently visited their home.

The following morning, he said, officers arrived early and one unknowingly stood directly above the spot where the drum had been buried.

Benjamin also remembers helping his mother prepare chang’aa as the family tried to raise money for his education.

Looking back, the teacher says he does not celebrate the illegal activity itself. Instead, he views his childhood experiences through the circumstances that surrounded them and the economic difficulties his mother was trying to overcome.

His story has led him to make a broader appeal against judging people solely on the circumstances visible today.

Benjamin argues that poverty can push families into difficult decisions that they might otherwise never make, particularly when they lack reliable sources of income and access to essential services.

He is calling for stronger support for vulnerable households through quality education, bursaries, affordable healthcare, food security, employment opportunities, skills training and sustainable income-generating opportunities.

According to Benjamin, parents should have opportunities to earn a dignified living while children should receive the support necessary to remain in school and pursue better opportunities.

His experience also highlights the complicated reality surrounding illicit alcohol production in poor communities. 

While the manufacture and sale of illegal brews can create serious health, safety and legal concerns, enforcement alone may not address the economic circumstances that push some families towards the trade.

For Benjamin, his mother's story is now remembered with greater understanding. He says he is grateful for how far he has come and continues to remember his late mother while reflecting on the sacrifices she made for her children.

His account offers a reminder that behind some of the choices made by struggling families may be circumstances that are not immediately visible to outsiders.

The account of Benjamin's childhood is based on his personal recollection and should be understood as his testimony rather than independently verified evidence about the specific police incidents described.