General

You read something, hear something or see something. You know it isn’t right. It stays with you. It leaves an impact. You know as a society we can be better, and do better. You want to do something about it.

If you’re reading this, it’s likely you’ve felt the call to contribute. The desire to connect and create the kind of world that you want to live in. You may have a specific skill to share or simply have the time. Whatever the reason, your contribution is invaluable and can make a big difference.

Rafiki Mwema was born from two women who saw a need and knew they needed to help. They volunteered for years, endless hours and invested (too much) money into the cause they cared about. Then they realised they could make a much greater, and lasting, change if they set up something themselves. Rafiki is supported by a wonderful team of volunteers who work alongside our sponsors and donors to help raise vital funds for our programs in Kenya. It is a true team effort and we want you to join us.

Why Volunteer?

There is a Kenyan proverb which says, “Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.” When we come together to share our time and skills, our ability to make an impact increases. Great strength is achieved when good people connect with other good people. Volunteering provides the opportunity to become a part of something bigger. Get in touch about our current Volunteering Opportunities.

Using your unique knowledge and skill set, you can help empower others, give back to the community and make a difference. You can also gain some pretty big personal benefits such as developing new skills and gaining experience. Regardless of the motivation, there’s no doubt you’ll find volunteering both challenging and rewarding.

Meet Our Volunteers

There are many reasons why our volunteers have gotten involved. They include:

• To empower and support vulnerable individuals
• To create the type of world they’d like to live in
• To join a team of like-minded individuals and meet new people
• To increase experience and gain new skills

Here are some of their stories:

“Volunteering is a vital way to contribute to society. Volunteers are an engine that keeps everything powered. They are the invisible super glue that holds us all together. It is always the most helpless – the children, the elderly, the disabled, the abandoned, the unwell – who are most discriminated against and suffer the most. Because of this, I understand how truly life changing Rafiki Mwema’s work is when I read their updates, whether it’s of a child who receives justice at court, the street boys who are cared for through the feeding program or a mother who has been assisted to start her own business. I knew I wanted to do more than simply donate, and feel so privileged to have the opportunity to volunteer my skills and time for Rafiki Mwema.”

Amanda Collier

Volunteers on Rafiki’s Marketing Committee

“I feel I have been extremely fortunate in life and would not have been where I am today had it not been for my beautiful family. I can’t imagine what my life would look like under different circumstances, or what kind of a person I would be without the love and support I have had. I volunteer for a NFP to give back to those who are less fortunate than me by offering my skills where I can, but also to provide a genuine connection from one person to another – because we are all people at the end of the day – equals in all respects, and kindness should be the very least that we offer one another.”

Kath Portelli

Executive Assistant to CEO at Rafiki Mwema

“For me, a life well lived is one of connection and togetherness. Volunteering for an NFP brings it all together. I can contribute my particular skills, help bring change to people born less fortunate than I and connect with outstanding people for a greater cause.”

Victoria Dyte

Volunteer Webmaster and Member of Executive Committee

“I promised myself at a young age that I would never be an adult that looked the other way. I decided that I would always call out bad behaviour, particularly when the consequences of that behaviour impacted those who were too young, too frightened, too traumatised and often lacking the support they need from the adults in their lives. 

Rafiki Mwema holds people to account for unacceptable behaviours and in doing so, allows children to have the safe and loving childhood they deserve. Being involved with Rafiki Mwema enables me to honour the promise I made to my younger self, to help the critically vulnerable children Rafiki supports and to do what I believe we all have a responsibility to do – what we can, without excuses, to protect those we must. 

We all have a part to play and looking the other way should not be a choice we make, when we are blessed enough to have the choice at all.”

Morwen Rossiter,

President of Rafiki Mwema Executive Committee

Together we can do so much. This is the reason we volunteer.

Get Involved – Volunteer Opportunities

With so much to do, we are regularly on the lookout for volunteers. Spread across the globe, our team works together remotely. This flexibility means anyone can join us regardless of location and circumstance.

We currently have an opening for a Volunteer Coordinator with our team here in Australia. Follow this link to read about this position.

One of our older, original boys who lives on Doyle Farm is currently in Class 4 (Year 12) at school and hopes to go to university once he graduates.

Abe is really upset about COVID-19 as it means instead of completing his schooling in November he has to repeat his final year when schools reopen in January.

He has been with us since the first boys house opened over 6 years ago and is a quiet, studious young man with a story which will break your heart in two.

His early life set his brain into believing he was not good enough and his voice was unimportant. He is working really hard with our amazing team at Rafiki Mwema to change the way he sees himself.

Working hard to make a change

He recently shared his daily boarding school timetable with Anne-Marie, our Co-Founder & Director. She said she was surprised with his ability to learn in such a challenging environment.

“I am in shock at the long, long days and now understand his need to sleep, sleep, sleep when he gets home during the holidays,” she said.

“I am still trying to imagine how anyone can retain anything they learn in this environment.”

This is what Abe told her…

“Every morning I wake at 3:00 a.m. when the House Master turns on the lights. No one refuses to get up as punishments are physical and painful. We have an hour to prepare ourselves for the day ahead of us before arriving in our classrooms at 4:00 a.m.

“We study until 6am when we have an hour break for our breakfast. As you can imagine we are very hungry at that point, but the food at school is pretty light. Once we have finished breakfast we are back in the classroom where we work on our different subjects, with a break for lunch, until the class closes at 4:30 p.m. We then have a break where we take tea and wash our clothes ready for school the next day. I am usually tired already by this time, but the day is far from finished.

“We report back to class at 7:00 p.m. and we have an hour maths tuition before classes close for the day and we start our prep and individual study until 11:00 p.m. At that point I crawl to my bed and set my alarm for 4 hours later for my day to restart at 4:00 a.m. again the next morning.

“I love school as I know how important education is and I really want to be the best person I can be. Rafiki Mwema have invested in me and I want to show them that they invested wisely.

“Being at home for so long because of COVID-19 is very tough, partly because I have too much time for my head to remember the horrors of my childhood. I have recently started working to better understand the empty feelings I can often have. I find it hard to trust and am really sad that my one true friend left Rafiki Mwema recently and I feel very alone.

“This is a great place to live. The directors recognise that we boys can get bored very easily and for some of them they get a bit difficult to live with. I have only ever been in trouble once at Rafiki Mwema and it upset me so much.“In my talks with the staff I know that one day I will be able to let out all the built-up feelings I have inside and maybe I will show people how I feel inside. Maybe, but I’m not ready yet.”

Abe is a beautiful young man who is a wonderful role model for our Rafiki Mwema family. We can see it and we are working hard for him to see it too.

Without us, this young man would never have left the street and discovered his love of learning. We are so eternally grateful that you don’t turn your backs on these incredible children and hold their hands into their future.

Find out how you can help our African based childrens charity, Rafiki Mwema.

Some days we receive shocking reminders of how tough life is for our boys who live on the streets. As if having nowhere to live, no food to eat and no family to care for them wasn’t bad enough. They can’t even expect the smallest scrap of human kindness or help from the very people whose job it is to protect and serve. 

One of our eagle-eyed supervisors recently noticed that a boy who regularly attends our feeding program hadn’t been seen for a few days. This was unusual as our young man was dedicated to using the opportunities provided to help build his own business and support himself. Our manager visited the area where he lived and found him lying down with injuries to his legs so severe that he could not walk. He was unable to get himself to where we serve our meals. 

A few days earlier, the police came by his sleeping space. It was 30 minutes after the nightly (COVID-19) curfew had started and they beat him up just as he was going to sleep. Let. That. Sink. In. This small boy who was trying to get warm and cosy enough to fall asleep and forget the horrors of his short life for a few hours. He was then attacked by a group of grown, armed men. Beaten for no reason that anyone can understand.

Imagine your child or a small child you know is lost in town. The first piece of advice you always give is to find a police officer. Someone in authority, who will take care of you, keep you safe and help you find your way home. Someone you can rely on, whose job it is to care about your welfare. Now picture those same people beating your small child because they view him or her as a nuisance, unworthy of kindness and like a rat. 

Knowing that strangers around the world and our wonderful sponsors care helps our boys to begin to understand their worth. These boys are our family and we will never give up on them. 

As long as we are able we will feed, care for, listen to and love these boys with everything we have. But everything we have isn’t enough. At a time when money is scarce and job security uncertain, we know that asking you to prioritise these boys is asking a lot. We also know that, without you supporting us, their food sources are scarce and their own lives are uncertain. If you haven’t already, please follow the link and sign up to donate monthly to our Feeding Program. 🙏

We are deeply saddened to bring the news that our beloved Grandpa Doyle passed away on Sunday morning. Grandma and Grandpa Doyle, Noel and Kate, might just be the most incredible people we have ever met. Their love and compassion, has always been boundless. They see a need and they respond. Because of this beautiful couple, many people around the world are alive and living better lives.

Doyle Farm exists because of Grandma and Grandpa. They lovingly donated our 14-acre farm and have been proud and alongside us, as we build Rafiki Mwema into what it is today. Without Grandpa this could never have happened. We wouldn’t have a safe loving kind place that 70 children call home, that cannot be taken away. We wouldn’t have safe families for 130 children to return to. All that developed from their love.

Grandpa Doyle was a very fun-loving cheeky man that shared a passion for red wine, a passion in which our very own Sarah so selflessly supported him. The twinkle in his eyes, and his love for Grandma beat at the very heart of who he was. Separately they are incredible humans – together they beat love and kindness into everything they have ever done and have literally changed the world and we thank the universe for them finding each other. You could never imagine how far their love and support has spread. Rafiki Mwema is just a small part of their legacy, one that I know Grandma will continue, proudly holding the flag they flew together.

To say he will be missed doesn’t even come close. We will wrap Kate in our hearts and love her as much as we ever have. Thank you, Kate, for sharing your love and your beautiful husband with us. We are truly grateful; we love you for who you are, not simply your kindness but your beauty that shines on us all.

Your Rafiki Family will hold a service next Sunday to remember, grieve and rejoice in the stunning human they simply call Grandpa. He lives on forever and has left an impact in our hearts. We are bereft at his passing and send so much love to you Grandma at this saddest of times.

Nakupenda Sana Grandpa