What began as an ordinary afternoon of childhood play turned into a life-changing tragedy for eight-year-old Bibiana Nyawira.
The young girl had returned home from school in Mwihoko, put down her school bag and joined other children who were playing on the rooftop of an unfinished multi-storey building where her family lived.
Moments later, her life changed forever.
According to her family, Bibiana slipped while playing on the unfinished rooftop. As she fell, she instinctively reached out, apparently trying to find something to hold on to.
Her hand reportedly came into contact with live electrical wires running close to the building.
The resulting electric shock left the little girl unconscious.
Her family rushed her to Kenyatta National Hospital, where she received emergency medical attention. According to the family, doctors later informed them that the electrical current had caused extensive damage to both of Bibiana’s arms.
The injuries were so severe that doctors had no option but to amputate both limbs.
For a child who had only just begun discovering the world, the operations marked the beginning of an entirely different life.
Bibiana survived the accident, but her family says the consequences have been devastating.
They claim that they have received no compensation following the incident and that repeated efforts to seek assistance from Kenya Power have not resulted in a resolution.
The family also says the landlord who owned the unfinished building did not compensate them over the incident.
According to the family, the situation eventually became untenable, forcing them to leave the property.
Now, Bibiana faces the enormous challenge of growing up without both arms.
Her family says they desperately need functional prosthetic limbs that could help the young girl perform everyday tasks and regain some level of independence as she grows older.
However, the cost of acquiring and maintaining appropriate prosthetic technology remains beyond what the family can afford.
Despite the enormous setback, Bibiana has continued to display the resilience of a child.
Recent photographs shared by her family show her smiling and attempting to participate in activities like other children her age.
Behind that smile, however, lies a painful reality.
At just eight years old, Bibiana must now learn how to carry out tasks she once performed naturally. Her family must also contend with the financial demands of medical care, rehabilitation, assistive devices and her long-term wellbeing.
The family is appealing for support to help Bibiana access suitable prosthetic limbs and rehabilitation services that could make it easier for her to navigate school, play and everyday life.
They also want questions surrounding the circumstances of the accident addressed, particularly the reported presence of accessible electrical lines near an unfinished building where children lived and played.
Bibiana’s ordeal has consequently raised a wider safety concern about unfinished buildings and electrical infrastructure, and whether adequate measures are being taken to protect children and other residents from potentially dangerous power lines.
For her family, however, the priority is immediate and deeply personal: helping their little girl rebuild her life.
Bibiana cannot undo what happened that afternoon.
But with appropriate medical care, rehabilitation, assistive technology, education and emotional support, her family hopes she can grow into an independent and confident young woman despite losing both arms at such a tender age.
