Actor Song Il-kook visits Kenya to support children in poverty

Actor Song Il-kook traveled to Nairobi and Kajiado, Kenya, to meet impoverished children, including a boy who was kicked out of school due to unpaid tuition. His journey will be broadcast on October 31 as part of the MBC Sharing Project: Steps of Hope.

The MBC Sharing Project: Steps of Hope will broadcast the journey of actor Song Il-kook, who has returned to Africa for the first time in 10 years to meet children dreaming of a future in the urban slums of Nairobi and the southern wilderness of Kajiado, Kenya. Song Il-kook makes a desperate plea for children who have been forced to grow up too early, stating, “We must help right now. If we do, things can surely change.”

Song Il-kook, a well-known actor and father, has maintained a connection with Africa for many years. Driven by a long-held desire to return, he traveled to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, where modern urban landscapes coexist with beautiful nature. However, behind the city's splendor, many children struggle with the daily reality of finding a single meal and a safe place to sleep. Through the MBC Sharing Project: Steps of Hope, the program follows Song Il-kook's journey to reach these impoverished children.

In the Mukuru area, located 30 minutes from downtown Nairobi, people make a living by scavenging and selling scrap metal and plastic near a massive landfill and poor residential areas. After being shocked by the overwhelming stench and swarms of insects emanating from the "mountain of trash," Song Il-kook could not take his eyes off the children working hard every day to support their families in such extreme conditions.

Nine-year-old Mary lives with her father, scavenging scrap metal at the landfill and caring for her young sibling. Despite working hard every day to collect metal, the family barely survives on a single meal of corn porridge a day. Following the death of her mother to cancer this past January, the family's situation worsened, forcing Mary to drop out of school. However, she holds a precious dream: to return to school, study hard, and become a doctor to treat sick people just like her mother. In an old bag found at her home, Song Il-kook discovered a photo of her mother alongside the child's earnest wish: “I want to always remember my mother. I want to help sick people like her.”

Another child met at the Mukuru landfill is 14-year-old Catherine, a young breadwinner responsible for three younger siblings after losing her parents. She survives by collecting recyclables and performing various chores for neighbors, such as washing dishes and laundry. “After my mother passed away, I decided to become a mother to my siblings,” Catherine declared, showing strength beyond her years. After touring the home of the four siblings, Song Il-kook was left speechless by the devastation. Located in a narrow alleyway where no light reaches, the house is built using trash scavenged from the landfill, and when it rains, water floods inside, forcing the children to stand up all night. Faced with the danger of potential intruders, Song Il-kook made an urgent plea for help, saying, “We must help right now, right now.”

Moving more than two hours south from Nairobi, Song Il-kook reached Ilgaruji in Kajiado County, a barren rural area quite different from the urban trash settlements. There, he met 10-year-old Patrick, a Maasai boy. Having lost his parents three years ago, Patrick lives caring for his 70-year-old grandmother, who has impaired vision, and his young sibling. Acting as the practical head of the household, he fetches water, sells firewood, and tends to neighbors' livestock every day. Going to school is his greatest joy and hope, but on the first day of the new semester, he was kicked out of class because his tuition for the past year had not been paid. After hearing Patrick's story, Song Il-kook expressed his heartache, saying he was "too choked up to speak" while spending the day with the boy. Emphasizing that "our interest can change a child's future," Song Il-kook asked for encouragement and support for Patrick, who, despite his hardships, hopes to go to school and bring clean water to the villagers.

While the landfill in Mukuru, Nairobi, and the dry wilderness of Ilgaruji, Kajiado, are different lands, the dreams of Mary, Catherine, and Patrick are very similar: a day where they do not worry about hunger, sleep in a safe home, and study with friends. Such an ordinary day, which is routine for others, is a desperate dream for them. While extreme poverty has taken much from these children, it has not yet taken their dreams. Song Il-kook emphasized that "today, our small interest is the only hope that can change a child's tomorrow," calling for participation in this journey of sharing.

The episode featuring Song Il-kook in Kenya for the MBC Sharing Project: Steps of Hope will air on October 31 at 10:00 AM.

Read the original (Korean)