By Sr Esther David
“Everyone is looking for greener pastures,” Bizimana Innocent, also known as Favor, says as we
sit down for our interview.
The husband and father of two from Burundi works at St. Ann Mission Hospital in Kenya. Like
many people who grow up in small villages, he longed for greater opportunities and a better life
for his family.
After completing his studies, he bought a small piece of land with the help of his parents.
Because it was located along a busy road, he opened a small business that gradually flourished.
Life was not luxurious, but it was stable. He could provide for his family, and every day gave him
hope that tomorrow would be even better.
One day he met an old friend who looked successful and well-established. Curious, Bizimana
asked what had changed his life. His friend spoke highly of Kenya, describing it as a land full of
opportunities where jobs were easy to find. The more they talked, the more Favor believed that
perhaps his family’s better future lay across the border.
As he was still considering the idea, a challenge emerged. The government announced plans to
expand the road, and his shop was among the businesses scheduled for demolition. With little
choice, he sold all his remaining stock and used his savings to travel to Kenya.
His family was excited. They believed this journey would open a new chapter in their lives. On
7th October 2023, he left Burundi full of hope.
The journey, however, was nothing like he had imagined. Along the way, his friend repeatedly
asked him for large sums of money. At the Kenya-Tanzania border, immigration officers claimed
his documents were incomplete and demanded payment before allowing him to proceed. After
crossing into Kenya, he encountered yet another obstacle when police officers also insisted his
documents were not in order and asked for more money.
Despite everything, Favor held on to one thought that once he got to Kenya and got the
promised job, all this suffering would have been worth it.
He finally arrived in Nairobi on 8th October, exhausted but hopeful. The following morning, his
friend left for work and asked him to stay behind. Later that day, he returned with
heartbreaking news: there was no job. Within just three days, Favor had spent nearly all the
money he had brought from Burundi. Everything changed. Suddenly, he found himself alone in
a foreign country with no work, no savings, and no idea what to do next.
He accepted the first job he could find working in construction, commonly known as mjengo.
The work was physically demanding and unlike anything he had ever done before, but he
persevered because his family depended on him. Later, he found work as a security guard in
Mombasa. Just as life seemed to be improving, the company closed after only four months,
leaving him unemployed once again.
He returned to construction jobs in Nairobi before securing a job on a dairy farm in Meru,
where he cared for about 500 cows. His employer promised him a salary of KSh 8,000 per
month, with an increase after three months. The increase never came. Worse still, there were
times he went for months without receiving any salary at all.
Back home, his family could not understand why he was not sending money. Some began to
doubt him. Their questions broke his heart because he was already giving everything he had
simply to survive.
There were days when the weight of disappointment became almost unbearable. The dreams
that had brought him to Kenya seemed to have disappeared. He admits that there were
moments when he fell into depression and even contemplated ending his life. The reality he
encountered was painfully different from the promises that had convinced him to leave home.
Still, he refused to give up. He later found work collecting milk from farmers and delivering it to
a dairy processing plant. Unfortunately, the cold weather affected his health, forcing him to
leave. His next job was on a pig farm.
Although he enjoyed caring for the animals, his employer treated him harshly. For seven months, he worked without receiving any salary and often went hungry.
Just when hope seemed to be fading, God opened another door. Through the kindness of a
Good Samaritan, Favor was introduced to St. Ann Mission Hospital, where the Poor Handmaids
of Jesus Christ Sisters offered him employment. More than a job, they offered him respect,
compassion, and a sense of belonging.
Today, Favor speaks with gratitude. “I feel whole again,” he says. “I feel at home.” He is now
saving money and looking forward to the day he can return to Burundi to embrace his wife and
children after such a long and difficult separation.
Looking back, he shares one lesson he will never forget, “Not every promise should be believed. Before making a life-changing decision, seek clarity and be sure of the facts.”
Favor’s story reminds us that hope is not the absence of suffering but the courage to keep
moving forward despite it. His journey is a testament that even after broken promises,
exploitation, and despair, dignity can be restored when compassion meets a person in need.
Sometimes, all it takes is one person or one community to remind someone that they are seen,
valued, and never beyond hope.