Geoffrey Mosiria Pledges Medical Support, Sponsorship for Bungoma Boy Battling Rare Skin Condition

A teenager from Bungoma County who attracted public sympathy after breaking down while selling bananas by the roadside has received an offer of financial and medical support from former Nairobi City County Chief Officer Geoffrey Mosiria.

Mosiria pledged to take responsibility for Bryson Makokha's medical needs after a video showing the boy struggling to attract customers because of his skin condition circulated on social media.

The former county official said several Kenyans had reached out to him, asking him to intervene after learning about the teenager's difficult circumstances.

He subsequently contacted Bryson's family and arranged for the boy and his father to travel to Nairobi, where he promised to help secure appropriate medical attention.

"After learning about his situation, I contacted his family, and today, together with his father, they have travelled to Nairobi, where I will fully support them. I will also ensure that this young boy receives the necessary medical attention and treatment," Mosiria said.

In a separate social media message, he expressed his desire to help Bryson access treatment and return to school, while encouraging Kenyans to support the family.

"Let's be the reason this young boy smiles again. Tusimame nayeye, apate matibabu, arudi shuleni, and hopefully transform not only his life but that of his entire family. No child deserves to suffer, be rejected or lose hope because of a medical condition they have no control over," he wrote.

Bryson came into the public spotlight after footage emerged showing him crying while attempting to sell bananas along the roadside.

The teenager explained that his skin condition had made it difficult to find customers, with some people allegedly avoiding his products because of his appearance.

The incident triggered an outpouring of sympathy, with Kenyans expressing concern about the discrimination he faced and calling for urgent medical and financial assistance.

His situation also attracted the attention of comedian and philanthropist Eric Omondi, who appealed to the public to help the teenager and his family.

Omondi pledged to stand with Bryson and encouraged well-wishers to contribute whatever they could towards supporting his father and meeting the family's needs.

Beyond the difficulty of selling bananas, Bryson revealed that he was trying to raise money to purchase painkillers to manage the discomfort associated with his skin condition.

The teenager's medical challenges have placed a heavy financial burden on his family, which has reportedly exhausted several options in an effort to secure treatment.

His father is said to have sold the family's cow and leased out part of their land to raise money for his son's medical care. However, the money raised has not been sufficient to meet his continuing treatment needs.

The family is also dealing with another difficult situation following the hospitalisation of Bryson's mother, who has reportedly been receiving treatment in hospital for the past two months.