Many pitch in as family searches for missing Northeastern University student

Family and members of the region’s Kenyan community are banding together in an effort to track down a Northeastern University student who has now been missing for more than two weeks.

Dennis Njoroge, 21-year-old student at the school, has been missing since Nov. 29, police at his school have said.

Community members have begun holding daily meetings in Worcester and Boston, organizing a search effort and hoping for Njoroge’s safe return.

“We meet every day and we have prayers in our house,” said Tony Mathu, a family friend who is leading the awareness campaign.

Family have set up a Facebook page called “Help us bring Dennis home.” by Monday, donors had given $1,000 to a GoFundMe fundraiser for the search.

This weekend, T-shirt wearing volunteers posted missing person fliers around the city and handedthem out on sidewalks.

Community members from as far away as Minnesota have come to Massachusetts to help, Mathu told Metro.

Njoroge’s mom, Helen Kihara-Bouchard issued a plea to Njoroge in a video posted to a Kenyan community website on Thursday.

“I’m talking to Dennis my son,” she said. “If you are there, if you see this, or if anybody sees Dennis, please tell him mom loves you and misses you so much. Come home. We are waiting.”

Njoroge has been described as between five feet six inches and five feet seven inches tall, with brown eyes, black dreadlocked hair and a thin build. He frequently wore black pants, brown Timberland boots, an olive green jacket and a plain black baseball hat, according to the missing person fliers.

Northeastern PD has asked anyone with information to contact Det. Regina Coppa at 617-373-4880.

In a statement, Northeastern’s Vice President of Student Affairs Madeleine Estabrook said previously the school was “extremely concerned” about Njoroge’s disappearance. “University officials, including, NUPD, have been working closely and around the clock with city and state law enforcement officers, as well as with Dennis’ family, in hopes of finding him safe.”