Well, it’s all over now.
The second-ever Rafiki Royale in Lennox Head is officially behind us — and after months of planning, preparation, problem-solving, late-night phone calls and countless volunteer hours, we wanted to take a moment to say one simple thing:
Thank you.
While Rafiki Royale lasts for only one evening, the reality is that it takes hundreds of hours and many different people to bring it to life. And this year was no different.
The Sponsors Who Made It Possible
Most importantly, we want to thank the sponsors who financially backed this event and made it possible in the first place.
Rafiki Mwema is not a large charity. We don’t have deep pockets or corporate event budgets. Events like Rafiki Royale simply cannot happen without businesses and individuals who are willing to trust us, support our work, and get behind our vision.
Your sponsorship gave us the confidence to take this event on. We are incredibly grateful.
The Team Behind the Scenes
This year’s event was organised by an entirely new committee.
Apart from Sarah Rosborg, Founder, who attended on the night to share updates from Kenya, the event was planned and delivered by a fresh group of volunteers who stepped forward to take on the challenge. Together, they donated six months of their lives to bringing this evening together.
A special thank you to our committee: Lisa, Kerry, Cara, Nathan, Victoria, Nicci and Jandy — two of Rafiki Mwema’s founding members whose dedication to this organisation runs deep.
And while she wasn’t able to be there in person, we couldn’t write this without mentioning another of our founding members Claire, who was overseas and following along from afar. We felt your absence on the night, Claire — and we know you felt ours.
The Volunteers Who Always Show Up
Every charity has those people. The ones who quietly roll up their sleeves, arrive early, stay late, and never ask for recognition.
This year, a heartfelt thank you to Simone, Joyce and Stacey, who once again showed up on the night and gave their time without hesitation.
We simply couldn’t do this without you.
Thank You, Annaliese
A huge thank you to our ambassador, Annaliese Todd, who travelled from Sydney to be our MC for the evening.
Annaliese brought warmth, humour, energy and heart to the room, and helped create a wonderful atmosphere throughout the night. We are incredibly fortunate to have her as both an ambassador and a dear friend of Rafiki Mwema.
The Generosity in the Room
It would be impossible to capture every act of generosity that happened on Saturday night.
We watched people bid fiercely in the auctions. We watched people bid against themselves. We watched people buy tickets to Sideshow Alley, purchase drinks, play games and donate simply because they wanted to help children they may never meet.
In a time when many families are feeling financial pressure and businesses are navigating difficult economic conditions, that generosity means even more. While attendance numbers were lower than last year, the spirit in the room was every bit as strong.
For that, we are deeply grateful.
Thank You to Our Drink Sponsors
One of the biggest contributions to the success of the evening came from the companies who donated 100% of the alcohol served at the event. Because of their generosity, every dollar raised through drink sales went directly towards supporting our work.
A heartfelt thank you to Ned Whisky, Gravity Seltzer, SOLLOS Agave, Azteca, Winding Road Distillery, Spangled Drongo, Heaps Normal and Yulli’s. Thank you for believing in what we do and helping us make the most of every dollar raised.
Capturing the Memories
A huge thank you to photographer Nat Grono, who once again donated her time and talent to document the evening. Nat joined us last year and returned again this year with her trademark smile, generosity and professionalism. The photographs she captures help preserve these moments and allow us to share the story of what our community has achieved together. Thank you, Nat.
The Hundred Club
One of the highlights of the evening was the Hundred Club, organised by our very own Jandy.
The concept was simple: 100 tickets at AUD $100 each, with half the total pool going to one lucky winner and the other half coming to Rafiki Mwema. On the night, we sold 51 tickets — meaning the prize pool sat at AUD $5,100, with AUD $2,550 for the winner and AUD $2,550 for us.
When the draw was made, the winning ticket belonged to Farren from Brisbane, Queensland.
And then something wonderful happened.
Without hesitation, Farren donated his entire prize straight back to Rafiki Mwema — meaning we were able to keep the full AUD $5,100. That’s actually AUD $100 more than our original target if all 100 tickets had sold and the prize had been paid out.
Farren, you are the perfect example of what Rafiki Mwema means — a loyal friend. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
What We Raised
We are still finalising a small number of invoices, but we estimate that Rafiki Royale 2026 raised approximately AUD $25,000 after expenses.
And if you know Sarah, you’ll know she won’t rest until she has the exact figure — down to the very last cent. Once all invoices are settled and every auction payment has come through, she’ll be updating this post with the final number. So stay tuned.
For a small charity, that figure is significant.
Those funds will go directly towards the water needs at Doyle Farm in Kenya. Clean, reliable water is something many of us rarely think about — but it underpins almost everything we do at Rafiki Mwema. It supports our homes, our school, our farm, our food production and the daily lives of the children in our care.
We’ll be sharing updates in the coming months so you can see exactly how your support is making a difference.
From All of Us at Rafiki Mwema
Thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for believing in this work. Thank you for standing beside vulnerable children in Kenya.
Every ticket purchased, every auction bid, every raffle ticket sold, every sponsorship dollar, every volunteer shift and every act of generosity helps create a safer future for children who desperately need it.
We are honoured that you choose to walk alongside us.
