This is Collins. In a remote part of Western Kenya about 170 miles from Shoe4Africa Hsp, Collins and his big brother Benson were out in the field herding their family cattle like they did every day.

This particular day, they spotted a thick wire hanging down from the high voltage lines that stretched across the fields. To Collins and Benson, this looked like a swinging rope. How fortunate, they thought; to break the monotony of herding in the hot sun all day.

The two ran towards the electric line and in synchrony, both jumped and grabbed the line. Unfortunately it was a live high voltage line, burning the two boys. Benson died on the spot, while Collins whole left side was burnt. For hours the two boys lay there. Collins unconscious. They were found by their father as he wondered why the herd was not back.

Collins was taken to a mission hospital where he stayed for 3 weeks. His arm badly infected and slowly rotting. His father had to leave with Collins as they could not pay for the escalating charges. A month later, they arrived at the Shoe4Africa Children’s Hsp. Collin’s arm was now crawling with maggots and server infection after his family tried traditional medicine. Collins was examined and was on the operating table within 3 hrs of arrival. His arm had to be amputated. In the coming weeks he received skin graphing to his left side.

As we interviewed his mother, she had a smile on her face….saying ‘If we had not come to Shoe4Africa, Collins would not be here’. She also said, ‘If we had come here sooner, Collins would not have lost his arm’. Collins too was smiling, glad that he was pain free. Which meant more to him than keeping his arm. Sadly, he still has not been told that Benson passed on. He thinks he is recovering somewhere else. His family have chosen to wait for his full recovery before revealing this to him.

His mother gives us one last comment ‘no one has asked me for any payment, we thank Shoe4Africa’.