NTV story gives hope to 5-year-old Shakur

A story recently aired on NTV Uganda, a sister station to the Daily Monitor newspaper, depicting the plight of five-year-old of Shakur Omiat collecting plastic bottles in Pallisa District in order to raise money to look after his grandmother and two siblings has brought hope and joy to the family after some well-wishers came to the family’s aid.

Shakur who is in primary one takes care of his grandmother Christine Asio who was a casual labourer working in peoples gardens before developing a back problem which has since hindered her from working to cater for the family of four.

Ms Asio said her daughter gave birth to the boy after her primary seven and abandoned him with her, she does not know her whereabouts.

“My situation is not good, I survive on cassava porridge,” she said in an interview with NTV on January 02, 2023.

At the time Shakur told NTV, he wakes up early every morning to collect bottles from Pallisa gardens and different parts of Pallisa town, which he then sells to women selling juice at Shs100.

After collecting a certain amount, he is able to buy silver fish and some maize flour to take back for the family at home.

On Saturday, one of the well wishers the Chief Executive Officer for Kedi foundation, Mr Steven Kedi, said he was touched when he saw the story that went viral on social media after it aired on NTV Uganda. He decided to travel to Pallisa to meet Shakur and his family, whom he donated Shs36 million with some household items and scholastic materials.

“I was also a boy like Shakur, I was raised by my grandmother from the age of one month after my mother died, I suffered and endured a lot. Throughout my education, I was educating myself; I am a hustler and made it. When God Gave me money, I decided not to go to bars or spend it on women, not build fancy houses but rather give to the less privileged,” he said.

Mr Keddie through his foundation gave the grandmother $5,000 (Shs18.4m) to enable her setup three business projects that can cater for the family since she suffers from a back problem.

“Together with the local leaders, we are going to open for her an account in Stanbic Bank where the money will be deposited. We have given Shakur $5,000 (Shs18.4m) which will facilitate his entire education since we have already given him a bursary from Primary up to the University after which he won’t have to look for a job, he will work with Keddi Foundation” he said.

“We want to thank NTV Uganda for airing this story and bringing to light this family’s life, we thank God that He knew Shakur will this day become a champion, today his life has changed. As a foundation we are here to change his life and tell the whole world that you can also be a humanitarian you can give the little you have” he said.

The mother of Shakur Ms Beatrice Tino who has since resurfaced since the airing of the story and various kind hearted people coming to the aide of the family, said she got pregnant during her Primary seven vacation after she was courted by a youth who had come to construct a house in their area.

“When he heard that I was pregnant he ran away, I was living with my uncle who refused to help me during the pregnancy, it was my mum who was supporting me, time reached when my uncle didn’t want me around anymore and I brought him (Shakur) here to my mother,” she said.

“I told my mother to take care of the boy so that I can go look for a job in Kampala but things didn’t go well. It’s my mum who has been caring for him until she called me recently informing me that there are some people who have come to help him after he was shown on TV picking bottles in Pallisa town and I should be around,” an emotional Tino  said.