By Anthony Richard Hulula | Director/Project Leader
“My name is Munene, and I am 13 years old. I don’t always go to school. But when I manage to attend a full week without missing a day, it’s a sign—a sign that my parents didn’t fight that week, or that maybe one of them was sober, even if just for a day or two. That’s my normal. That’s the only routine I’ve ever known.”
Munene is the firstborn in a household held captive by the grip of addiction. Every day, he shoulders the weight of a broken home—doing most of the chores, caring for his younger siblings, and often enduring verbal abuse or beatings when things aren’t done “right.” There is rarely a moment of calm in his home. Most days, food is not a guarantee. Breakfast is often skipped, and supper is forgotten—because "mom forgot" or had already left for what she calls “unlocking,” her daily morning ritual of a quick drink to “function.”
“Seeing my parents come home drunk—sometimes very drunk—is disheartening. It hurts. I wish I could do something to change them. I’ve cried in silence so many times.”
But something changed when Munene joined a community program run by The NGAO Foundation. Through this program, he learned that addiction is not just bad behavior—it is a disease. A treatable condition. This revelation transformed Munene’s view of his parents—from blame to compassion, from frustration to hope.
“The moment I understood that my parents are sick and not just careless, I began to cry—not because I was angry, but because I wanted them to be helped. I wanted my dad to stop drinking, and he agreed to attend a local AA meeting organized by NGAO.”
Today, Munene’s father has been sober for two weeks—a short time for many, but a lifetime of difference for a boy who has never known peace at home.
“These last two weeks have been the happiest I’ve ever known. My dad comes home early, we talk, we laugh—he looks smart, clean, and kind. I feel like I have a real father now. If this is what help can do, I want my mom to be next.”
Your Support Can Change More Lives Like Munene’s
The NGAO Foundation runs addiction recovery programs that not only reach those struggling with substance use but also bring healing to their families, especially children like Munene, who are often the silent victims of addiction.
We are appealing for urgent support to help:
With your partnership, we can help more fathers return home. More mothers find peace. And more children, like Munene, reclaim their right to childhood.
Be the answer to Munene’s prayer. Help us bring healing to homes torn by addiction.
By Anthony Richard Hulula | Director/Project Leader
By Anthony Richard Hulula | Director/Project Leader
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