Tears of joy flowed in Nyalenda, Kisumu, as 19-year-old Jacob Odhiambo was reunited with his parents after vanishing 14 years ago. Known as Peter Okiki before his disappearance at age five, Odhiambo was last seen in Kibera, Nairobi, on February 26, 2011. His parents, David Okiki and Lillian Atieno, endured years of heartbreak, holding on to hope that their son would one day return.
That hope became reality when a relative spotted Odhiambo at St Philip’s Neri Children’s Home in Kisumu. Overwhelmed with emotion, the family reunited, ending years of unanswered questions. Odhiambo had been rescued by a stranger and passed through Migori before being abandoned in Kisumu, where he was later taken in by the children’s department and enrolled in school.
Now in Form 3 at Lion’s High School, Odhiambo credited St Philip’s for giving him love, care, and an education. Vincent Ochieng, the home’s programme manager, led the effort to trace his roots, working with government officials to confirm his identity. The family expressed deep gratitude to everyone who cared for their son and helped bring him back home.
