Rafiki Mwema in the local community
Working in Kenya, we are always mindful that we may have different cultural experiences and understanding. We always try and work alongside, to enhance the connection and understanding of children and families in the community.
It is with that in mind, that we embrace the principles of Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP) and parenting with PACE. This approach works worldwide, as it focuses on relationships, and repair of some of the complex traumas families need to recover from.
All our staff at Rafiki Mwema are Kenyan and they undergo intense and repeated training around how to build relationships with children who do not trust. They are not trained therapists, but they are trained to therapeutically parent. We have then selected further staff members to undergo their DDP level 1 and will also complete their level 2 with an external trainer from the USA.
This allows us as an organisation to continue to be connected and professional with some of the most traumatised children on the planet.
Anne-Marie also delivers regular training to other professionals who come into contact with children were trauma has been experienced. This includes, but is not exclusive to Court Officials, Children Departments, Prisons, Police Officers and Schools.
Helping the community to understand and connect to their children is at the heart of Rafiki Mwema, and will allow this model to flourish and have a wider impact for traumatised children.
Rafiki Mwema
Outreach Program
GIMME FIVE will provide the constant and much needed outreach for the girls who leave Rafiki Mwema and the boys who have lost connection with their families. Every child deserves the chance to reconnect when it is safe and we will help the boys to establish that safety before they can visit.
Our outreach is really a team of two parts. One part supports the boys to trace members of their families that they want to reconnect to. The team then establish a relationship with that family and check it is safe for the boys to have contact. This may be weekly/monthly visits or telephone calls ALWAYS with their trusted key worker with them. The importance of knowing your family, in a safe environment is such a huge part of their therapeutic journey.
The long term aim for our girls is to return safely home. Our outreach team work day in and day out to ensure that the children who have been in the care of Rafiki Mwema not only have a safe transition home, by working with the families and communities while our girls are on their step-down programme, but continue forever after.
We have witnessed firsthand two of our girls become victims within their communities and who have returned to us broken and more damaged and we have vowed to do EVERYTHING in our power to prevent this happening again.
Our small outreach team travel by matatu – local crazy mini bus – tuktuk – even crazier three-wheeled taxi – motorbike – pushbike and literally walk miles to reach some of our children. They make scheduled visits and they make unannounced visits and this has paid dividends. Recently we had 4 girls return to us from the community as they were in grave danger of sexual harm. The families and Rafiki Mwema work together to stop this happening – to fight the stigma that a sexually abused child is ‘fair game’ – and it’s working well!
The families have grown to welcome our team and they receive them with less suspicion than ever thought possible. They see them as part of the community and families and villagers alike share their hopes and concerns for the Rafiki girls and boys.
Of course we have a dream for this team. We would like to see a few more staff taking part in the team – we currently have four full time staff members – and we would like to have a trained therapist as part of this team. Then they could therapeutically work within the communities to help eradicate some of the abuse that has happened – the whole idea being the more folk know about the impact of abuse – and how much it happens – and WHAT counts as abuse – the more it will be eradicated. Knowledge is power!
It is as it should be – community support to erase the horrific stigma these girls faced and to welcome back the very traumatised and abused young boys on their path to manhood.
Our latest community project
Nakuru
Give up to give
On Sundays, the children and staff of Rafiki Mwema dedicate their day to cooking and delivering food to the children who live on the streets in Nakuru.
Our children have given up their favourite activity of swimming to save the funds to buy food for their 'street family'. They are so happy to do this every week. The first Sunday we had 20 people turn up. It rapidly grew to 60 people. The word is spreading and the need for our help is huge.
Would you be prepared to give up something to help us give this to them?