Our Achievements
Looking back over Rafiki Mwema’s history, we are so proud of what we’ve achieved. And it’s all in collaboration with YOU! You can help us go even further. Every little action, share and donation counts.
November 2013
The first “Kenya help us” auction
Sarah Rosborg raised $17,000 to keep Rafiki Mwema open, which at the time had 22 girls in a rented house.
2013
February 2014
Rafiki Mwema established in Australia
Sarah got her mates together in Lennox Head and convinced them to join the board of the brand new charity Rafiki Mwema.
March 2014
A house for the boys
After seeing first-hand how the children living on the streets were treated, we were compelled to do something and set about raising the funds to rent a house and provide the children with some safety.
2014
June 2014
All children fully sponsored
Within 3 months of establishing Rafiki Mwema in Australia Sarah and the team had found enough sponsors to cover the running costs for the rented house, which at the time was $5000AUD/month.
July 2015
House for my Rafiki
When two new girls arrived and there wasn’t enough space for them Sarah crowdfunded $25,000 to rent a second house.
2015
November 2015
A forever home
Noel and Kate Doyle, long term followers of Rafiki Mwema, commit to purchase a farm for the security and stability of the children. The small girls moved to the farm shortly after.
March 2016
The Queens Castle
Constance Hall heard about the work of Rafiki Mwema and the need to build a second home on Doyle Farm for the big girls and set up a fundraiser with a goal of $75k. It raised a grand total of $200,000AUD!
2016
August 2016
Rafiki rebranded
After the exposure of the Queens Castle fundraiser, Rafiki Mwema Australia rebranded by Drawn Upon and officially changed their vision to include supporting boys as well as the girls.
September 2016
Rafiki Way
Rafiki Mwema ambassadors Constance Hall and Celeste Barber joined forces online to raise funds for a much needed road to access our new farm. Rafiki Way means a five minute comfortable drive directly from the highway instead of the windy hour long trip through bumpy terrain we had to endure previously.
November 2016
Queens Castle Grand Opening
With the funds raised we were not only able to build the Queens Castle, but also Malkia Mtoto (Little Queen), a small house used to transition new girls into Rafiki Mwema, as well as an office for the staff.
December 2016
Dr. Dan visits Rafiki Mwema
Dr. Dan Hughes developed DDP, a therapy model. His visit to the farm was highly anticipated and he was loved by all. We were all left inspired by his teachings.
2017
July 2017
The first Video Link
Three years after successfully raising the funds, after many loopholes and red tape, the dream of installing a video link in the local courthouse finally became a reality. It is the first of its kind in Kenya and one of our proudest achievements.
November 2017
Paul Harris Fellow Award
After a decade of working in Kenya with various organisations Sarah Rosborg was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow Award by Rotary International.
February 2018
King’s Castle
Constance Hall donated $1 from every Like A Queen book and raised $170k to build the Kings Castle. We never thought we could recreate what we built with the Queens Castle donations, but Constance Hall made it a reality for our boys to move to Doyle Farm in a castle fit for a King!
2018
May 2018
EcoTan pledge $100k
Ambassador Celeste Barber has brought so much to our charity and one of the greatest things she has done is to introduce Sonya Driver to Rafiki Mwema. Sonya pledged to raise $100k to help cover our running costs and she didn’t disappoint.
August 2018
Kings Castle Grand Opening
We welcomed Constance Hall and her family to Kenya to celebrate the grand opening of the Kings Castle, which she personally funded with proceeds from her bestselling book Like A Queen.
October 2018
Greenhouses and cows for our farm
Our loyal supporter Laura submitted a winning grant to Association Femmes d’Europe which enabled us to build two greenhouses and buy two dairy cows for our farm, taking us closer to our goal of self-sufficiency.
November 2018
Our very own hand cream by Eco Tan
After Sonya Driver pledged $100k to Rafiki Mwema it was obvious that we had stolen her heart and she wanted to help us long term. She got straight to work on creating a hand and nail cream and 6 months later this life changing product was launched. This hand cream is now sold worldwide and also in every Myer store in Australia.
November 2018
Kings and Queens Documentary
After Constance Hall’s life-changing visit to Kenya to see the castles that she made possible, she funded a documentary to raise awareness for the work we do in Kenya. We held a launch viewing in our founder Sarah Rosborg’s hometown of Lennox Head and there was not a dry eye in the house.
January 2019
Second Video Link
After a three year old girl couldn’t bear to testify against her rapist and ran away from the court in tears not once but twice, Sarah got angry, and so did Rafiki’s loyal followers. Sarah pledged to put the anger to good use and created a crowdfunding page to fund a second video link.
2019
May 2019
āhuru mōwai
Thanks to the trekkers who climbed mountains in New Zealand in February 2019 and our ever loyal Constance Hall, we were able to build a house for our *Elizabeth, a girl so severely traumatised she can never leave the care of Rafiki Mwema. āhuru mōwai is a house on our farm where she will live with a dedicated carer/auntie in the safety and love that she deserves.
August 2019
Sussex Royals
The official Instagram account of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to honour Rafiki Mwema by choosing us as one of the 15 Instagram accounts they followed for the month of August 2019. The prompt was: “We want to know who YOUR Force for Change is”. Plenty of media appearances followed and awareness was raised.
2019
September 2019
Rafiki Jasiri School
Thanks to the gala dinner held by Mandy, Kasey and Amy, and the first ever Rafiki Mwema An African Affair event, the dream of a school on Doyle Farm is becoming reality. This school will make sure that our small girls can learn in a safe and loving environment, while they heal from the trauma they have suffered.
May 2020
Feeding Program increases days
After Covid changing the world and the curfew placed on Nakuru town the street children we fed once a week were facing death with no one to beg from or scraps to eat. We took the plunge and increased our meals from each Sunday to every day.
2020
November 2020
Launched Rafiki Zabibu Wine
A genius idea if we do say so ourselves. We have our very own (and very delicious) Shiraz and Pinot Grigio and it’s thanks to a collaboration with award-winning wine producer, Farmer & The Scientist. Rafiki Zabibu, turning grapes into good!
September 2021
Employee of the Month Launched
Rafiki Mwema Kenya launch the Employee of the Month program and the results are incredible. The enthusiasm and joy from the staff is wonderful. Each month they vote for their fellow staff mates and on the first Monday of the month we announce a winner who is celebrated with a certificate and voucher.
2021
October 2021
Judicial Support
With the support from Grandma Doyle, Rafiki Mwema were able to support the local courts and children’s departments with desktop computers to ensure that more court cases could be heard online due to the backlog of cases due to Covid.
September 2021
Anthony Exeter basketball court
After Ant passed away in 2019, his wife, Kelly Exeter, asked if rather than flowers, donations could be given to Rafiki Mwema in honour of her husband.
“All Ant ever wanted from life was to be a dad and he was amazing at it. In being an amazing dad, Ant provided a safe space for our kids to grow up in. The kind of safe space every kid should have, but not all do. Rafiki Mwema is an organisation that provides a safe space for children in Kenya who need it.”
2022
2022
Kate and Noel Doyle awarded Medal of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. Both Noel and Kate received the same award “For service to the community through support for charitable organisations” and Rafiki Mwema is one of the organisations that they have supported.
2022
Rafiki podcast launched
Our podcast – The Rafiki Way – serves as an avenue for delving deeper into the heart of Rafiki Mwema, unraveling the intricate tapestry of our mission, and shining a spotlight on the incredible individuals who tirelessly work behind the scenes in both Australia and Kenya.
2022
2022
Feeding Program becomes Rafiki Mtaani
This transition is more than just a change of name; it reflects the holistic nature of our mission and the profound connections we have built within our community. While our previous name, Rafiki Feeding Program, highlighted our commitment to providing sustenance, we have realized that it no longer encapsulates the full scope of our efforts. We are not just a feeding program; we are a comprehensive support system for our special family.
2023
Greenhouse harvest
Thanks to the generous $5000 donation from our friends at Femmes d’Europe, we celebrated the first harvest from our brand-new greenhouse at Doyle Farm. We also welcomed Femme the cow to the farm!
2023
2023
Welcoming Nicholus: Our new Country Director
The vision for Rafiki Mwema has always been to have our homes in Kenya entirely led by local leadership. After years of planning and 84 applications Nicholus was appointed the new Country Director of Rafiki Mwema Therapeutic Centre (RMTC)!
2023
Rafiki’s own football team
The Northern Rivers Football Academy generously gifted the Rafiki kids with their very own football club uniforms, creating a sense of camaraderie and team spirit among the young participants. The two teams, Rafiki Lion and Rafiki Twiga, were born, and the children were overjoyed to be part of this exciting venture!
2024
2024
Celebrating a decade of dedication
2024 marks a truly special milestone—10 years since our very first board meeting for Rafiki Mwema. Gathered in Sarah’s backyard with children on our laps, none of us could have imagined the incredible journey that lay ahead. Fast forward a decade, and while our children have grown into teenagers, the passion and commitment that brought us together remain unwavering.
2024
CreateCare Global empowers our youth
This is not just a sewing machine; it is a tool of empowerment. It represents a tangible pathway for our youth to learn a valuable, practical trade. The humble sewing machine offers a creative outlet and a marketable skill that can help them provide for themselves and their families in the years to come.
2024
Clean water
Access to clean, safe drinking water is a fundamental building block for a healthy life. In 2024, we took a giant leap forward in securing this essential resource for our children, thanks to the incredible dedication and generosity of our supporter, Shawnee Turner.
2024
Sarah Rosborg nominated for Australia Day Local Hero Award
We are beaming with immense pride and excitement to share that our co-founder, the incredible Sarah Rosborg, was nominated for the Australia Day Local Hero Award. This prestigious recognition is a powerful acknowledgment of her unwavering dedication, tireless advocacy, and the profound impact she has made on the lives of vulnerable children in Kenya.
