POVERTY and bad company pushed a once upon a time, school-going pupil into the harsh streets, but today, hope has found its way back into his life.
Jonathan Sokoni, 20, a former youth living on the streets now based in Chibombo, has shared his painful journey from a loving home to the streets and back to purpose.
The young man full of promise, says life was normal while he was growing up, attending school with support from his parents and enjoying the love of his grandmother, whom he described as the pillar of his life.
However, everything changed when his grandmother died.
The family’s finances were drained by funeral expenses, emotional support disappeared and Jonathan found himself spending more time away from home.
That is when he fell in with street friends who introduced him to drugs and substances such as glue, commonly known as sticker.
Whenever he returned home under the influence, he would be chaotic and his family soon realised that he was slipping away.
Although he continued attending school, Jonathan said every school break pulled him back to the streets, where drug abuse slowly took over his life.
The situation worsened when his parents failed to raise money to buy him school essentials to Grade Eight last year, despite him passing his Grade Seven examinations.
With limited resources, the family prioritised his sister’s education, leaving Jonathan feeling unwanted and angry.
Things reached a breaking point when his father disciplined him one fateful day when he went back home smelling like drugs were part of his natural odor.
This prompted Jonathan to abandon home completely and embrace street life where he spent
But the streets quickly showed their true face as life became dangerous and unpredictable, with crime, violence and death lurking around every corner.
Jonathan’s turning point came when Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) found him on the streets and enrolled him at Children’s Town in Chibombo.
Today, he is a first-year student pursuing General Agriculture, a two-year training where he is learning practical skills alongside other former street children who share similar stories.
Jonathan has since reconciled with his parents and hopes to fully reunite with them once he completes his training.
He plans to settle at his grandfather’s farm in the village, where he hopes to grow grain crops and legumes and start a new chapter of his life.
“I did not know that the streets were so dangerous until I was already trapped in them, but today I am grateful that someone rescued me and gave me another chance,” Jonathan said.
He said he hopes that everyone still living on the streets will realise how dangerous life there is and find the courage to seek help or join training programmes such as those offered by DAPP.
By George Musonda
Kalemba December 15, 2025
