Displaced

Fourteen-year-old Kimathi has a comfortable life in the suburbs of western Kenya―until a contentious election explodes into violence.

His father is killed, his house is destroyed, and he and his mother and sister must flee. They find themselves in a camp for internally displaced persons, who’ve been driven from their homes but haven’t left their country.

Kim struggles to adapt to his new reality: living in a tent, facing prejudice at the local school, and struggling to get basic supplies. His family even has to buy water by the jug, paying high prices controlled by a ruthless gang of water sellers.

Gradually, Kim makes friends at the camp and starts to rebuild his life. Together, he and the other kids hatch a plan to get the camp a reliable water supply―along with some hope.

Patrick Ochieng is a lawyer, novelist and short story writer living in Kenya. In 2010 he was shortlisted for the 2010 Golden Baobab Prize. His books for children include the middle grade novel Playing a Dangerous Game (2021) and Displaced (2025).