Tobias Sylvester
The story of Daniel Odongo is one of the most touching stories ever. He was abandoned by his parents at a tender age because he was blind, went through hell to feed himself and managed to educate himself up to the University and will soon become a certified pilot.
26-years old Daniel Odongo during an interview with Tuko.co.ke narrated his ordeal. He said:
“I was born on August 24, 1992, and for the first three years of my life, I lived a regular life. One day my dad sent me to the kitchen to get a spoon. I fumbled and knocked over a stool while I searched for the spoon. I could not see a thing so I kept struggling to find what I was sent to get. That is when my father knew I had a disability. He told my mum he was not willing to live with a kid who could not see.”
After a short while, his parents had to divorce because his mother refused to abandon him. Thing’s where so difficult them after the divorce, Odongo added that his mother was left with no option but to abandon him in order to reunite with his insensitive father.
“I had nine siblings and we could not all fit in my grandma’s tiny house. My mother moved back in with my dad but she could not take me with her because I was the reason they broke up in the first place. I was taken in by some nuns when my grandma fell ill and I joined school. I got a B-(minus) in my KCSE and was called to university.”
It is reported that Daniel Odongo studied at Kenyatta University where he majored in Education, later attaining a First Class Honours. However, having nobody to support him, he reportedly went back to Mathare slums where he settled and hustled as a cobbler to feed himself and raise money to fund his aviation studies. He said:
“When I was told I needed to pay the first installment of KSh 750,000 to fund my dream, my heart sunk. However, I pulled up my socks and saved KSh 20,000. I paid my fees and started classes.”
Tuko.co.ke reports that Odongo has flown a plane to and from Mombasa but needs close to KSh 5 million to complete his studies. He is now popularly known as the blind pilot.
Daniel Odongo has now regained his sight some few weeks after a compassionate doctor convinced him to undergo surgery. Interestingly, he has a fervent desire to fly President Uhuru Kenyatta after clocking the required number of flying hours.
That’s the working of Gods power to pass through all struggles to strengthen him like Daniel in the bible who survived death and become an important person before king used by God!