Rafiki Mwema means ‘Loyal Friend’ and that is what we will be to these young boys and girls. The impact of sexual abuse and the profound lack of care and support for young girls in Kenya who experience abuse is heartbreaking, compounded by the stigma that then follows. We have had little girls as young as ten months come to us after being the victim of assault.

Providing the girls with safety, love and therapeutic parenting is critical. However, without providing the same safety, love and therapeutic parenting to boys, we would not be dealing with the problem and in turn, disrupting the cycle of violence.

We have two houses for the boys in which we provide therapeutic support for boys who have survived the horrors of living alone on the streets, some from the tender age of 5 years old. These boys have experienced the full terror of life on the streets and for many, this has included beatings, abuse and rape by both men and women. Life has taught them not to trust and without support, they would likely continue the cycle of abuse.

At Rafiki Mwema, we work with our boys to respect themselves and others. We model positive behaviours towards women and give them the values to become safe husbands and fathers. We help them to understand that they are deserving of love.

All of our children live as a family, but in separate houses. They are therapeutically parented and have regular therapy as individuals and in groups. They are supported to have safe contact with their families. They are loved and provided with a safe and consistent home, with adults they can trust.