This archive report was first published on 28 July 2019.
On a fateful day in 2013, Steven Oduor Dede, better known as DJ Shiti, found himself homeless in Nairobi. His family members, who lived in the city at the time, had abandoned him, leaving him with no other option but to seek shelter on Koinange Street.
It was there that DJ Shiti encountered some of the city's most marginalized individuals, including sex workers. In a heart-wrenching account, he recalled how they took him in and showed him kindness, despite their own struggles.
"Watu walinisaidia ni wale dad zetu hapo Koinange street. Hapo ndio nilikuja kugundua pia hawafanyi ile kazi kwa kupenda, walikua wananiita bro," DJ Shiti said in an interview with Jalango and Jeff.
Despite the challenges he faced, DJ Shiti's determination and talent eventually led him to break into the comedy scene. He made his breakthrough at the Churchill Show and went on to start his own life in a bedsitter.
Today, DJ Shiti is one of the fastest-rising comedians in town, known for his hilarious parodies and characters. But his journey to stardom is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a better future.
