Amount of money Kenyans have raised for Bungoma boy battling rare skin disease

Kenyans have responded overwhelmingly to a call from comedian Eric Omondi to support a boy in Bungoma who is battling a rare skin condition.

Bryson Makokha, a 17-year-old boy from Bungoma County, caught the attention of Kenyans when he explained how his skin condition has exposed him to stigma and discrimination.

He went viral after he was captured in a clip crying as he struggled to sell bananas by the roadside, explaining that some customers shunned him and overlooked his products due to his skin disease, leaving him unable to make enough money.

Kenyans were touched by his story and offered to help him access treatment and continue with school while also supporting his family to start a business.

Through Omondi’s Sisi Kwa Sisi initiative, Kenyans have responded in kind and by Wednesday afternoon, they had raised over Ksh500,000 for the boy, filling up his father’s mobile money account and forcing the comedian to open a paybill.

“You guys are overwhelming. We put up his father’s number and within 20 minutes, his mobile money account was so full that you cannot send money,” Omondi stated in a clip posted on social media.

“God bless you. We have been forced to get a paybill. The paybill number is 522533, account number 9725655. Send 10 bob, Ksh1,000 or one million,” the comedian further stated.

Bryson has been selling bananas partly to raise money for painkillers that help him manage the discomfort caused by his skin condition.

The teenager’s family has also made efforts to secure medical care with his father reportedly selling his cow and leasing out part of his land to raise money for his treatment but it was not enough.