A key worker plays an important role in life at Doyle Farm. They are everything to our children. And they play a HUGE part in the healing process by supporting and connecting with them on a daily basis.
Through Dyadic Developmental Parenting our children begin to build a safe relationship through their key worker. This role is essential to our children healing and being able to survive emotionally when they leave Rafiki Mwema.
Our staff have to work hard to gain the high level skills required for this role. They need to be emotionally robust; model kindness, connection and commitment; and maintain a calm and consistent approach, whilst maintaining respectful boundaries. They will encourage a child to reflect on what has happened but not in a way that induces shame. They will help a child learn to how to ask for help, an amazingly difficult and scary prospect for a traumatised child. A key worker will also model what a child should expect from other human beings. They show how to respond productively when this expectation is not met.
Uncle Erick (pictured above and below), is our General Manager and also one of our beloved key workers. Passionate about social work and driven by a desire to make a difference, we could not live without him.
“In August 2007 my passion for social work grew leading me to join the prisons department in Kenya” Uncle Erick explains. “A lot of questions kept lingering in my mind why a large number of teenagers contributed a lot to the greatest number of convicts in prison. Nobody answered my question until a training for emotional first aid. This changed my perception on convicts for I learnt that behind every behaviour is a reason.”
“I got this rare opportunity to join Rafiki Mwema as a staff member. To help through learning in giving a second chance to at least few boys and girls who had lost hope in life and restore a smile to their faces. I love working here though it has never lacked challenges.”
As a key worker at Doyle Farm, Uncle Erick continues to work side by side with each of our girls. He provides them safety, stability and security as they navigate a new life at Doyle Farm.
“It’s everyone’s dream to impact at least one vulnerable and needy person in the society. Rafiki Mwema has given me this rare golden chance to put a smile back to the faces of our future generation. The kids who – if not for Rafiki Mwema – would have been dead by now.”
“Rafiki Mwema has also helped me grow up as a responsible father to my daughters who are the same age as some of the kids that I am entrusted with. At Rafiki Mwema it is not just being a parent but a loving, caring and concerned parent”.
