Is there a best charity in Africa?
Choosing to support a charity is an honourable act, but choosing which charity to give your hand earned money to can be difficult. Which is the best charity in Africa? A question similar to “how long is a piece of string”…
How to choose a charity to support?
There is of course no single “best” charity in Africa. The right choice for you will depend on what causes are close to your heart, such as education for vulnerable children, healthy nutrition for poor families, clean water or healthcare.
Once you’ve decided on a cause, the next step of choosing a charity involves impact, honesty, transparency and management of funds. We’ve all heard too many stories of funds being mis-managed in the charity sector, and charities mistreating the very people they are supposed to protect.
At Rafiki Mwema, we have worked incredibly hard to create a charity that rises above. Where funds go where intended, where children are supported and healing from trauma, where sustainability and resourcefulness grows every year, and where every person involved whether it be a volunteer, board member or a sponsor can honestly say “My contribution is helping to make a difference”.
This is Rafiki Mwema
We exist to support children, often very young children, who are survivors of child sexual abuse.
That’s our reason for being, and it always has been. In our area of Nakuru, Kenya, we’re known as a place that can help those who have suffered the most, and we take that reputation seriously. Part of what that means in practice is standing behind children through the justice system, supporting them if they need to testify, and continuing to advocate until perpetrators are held accountable.
We’re not an orphanage.
We’re a therapeutic home, staffed entirely by Kenyan professionals trained specifically to help children recover from trauma, with the goal of getting every child back into their own community, where they belong.
This is difficult work, and it’s not work we’re willing to go quiet on. If you believe children deserve to be protected and supported through the hardest parts of recovery, this is what your support makes possible.
A story from one of our children
She left the farm before sunrise, travelled for hours on rough roads, and then told the truth in court.
Recently, a young survivor in our care gave evidence in a case about the abuse she lived through. Our team set off at 4:30 a.m. The roads were in terrible condition, and we didn’t arrive until 1:00 p.m. The court staff understood and kindly waited for us.
When she first saw the person accused, she felt nervous. Our advocate stayed close and helped her settle. We changed the seating so she felt safer, and that small change gave her the confidence to speak.
She answered every question calmly and clearly, even under cross-examination.
Giving evidence is one of the hardest things a child can be asked to do. Doing it after such a long, tiring journey takes real courage. We are so proud of her. 🤎
This is what walking alongside a child looks like. It’s a safe home and therapy, and it’s also being there on the hardest days.
An honest, transparent charity
In Australia, Rafiki Mwema in 2026 runs on one full-time staff member, two part-time staff, and 36 volunteers who give whatever time they can. That’s it. We keep our running costs in Australia as lean as possible because the focus has always been getting as much of every donation to Kenya as we can, to where the need is.
Your donation goes further with Rafiki Mwema
That means your monthly donation goes further here than it might elsewhere. It isn’t funding a stately office or big bonuses. It’s funding meals, showers, therapy, education, and the steady work of keeping children safe.
It would be a bit cheeky to say we are the best charity in Africa. But we’re certainly one of the best. And we strive to be better every year, with every child rescued and every meal served to a child living on the streets, with every new system we implement and every staff member we train.
We’d love for you to explore our charity and if you agree with us, consider becoming a monthly supporter.
