By: Kutana Wema 2025 Participants
Sobana & Dylan:
An Experience of a LIFETIME!
The Kutana Wema program allowed my son and I to embark on a journey like none before. My initial interest in this journey was to take part in the Wema Centre program, which was to encompass our first week in Kenya. An experience where I believed we would help those who needed something from us. I thought I was going to teach them something in their class, or during their down time, or perhaps share a story or two. Little did I know, I would learn so much from these beautiful souls, with big hearts, and smiles worth a million shooting stars.
Children from all over Mombasa, whose reality consisted of not knowing where their next meal was going to come from, where they can sleep safely, and above all, not having anyone by their side. This is where I was able to witness the sheer generosity and magnitude of the work Wema Centre provides. It is not enough to use words to describe what they do, you must go there yourself and see and FEEL the work that they do. Ultimately, the Wema Centre gives these children everything any child deserves – safety and care. I encourage everyone who is able, to embark on this journey, to open your eyes and witness the beauty of what Wema does. Their team works tirelessly to ensure the centre runs smoothly, and that they can provide psychosocial and trauma supports for as many children as they can (up to 150 at any given time!), all with hope in their heart. This team is building HOPE for these children, incredible!
The second portion of our trip to Kenya was to experience a safari, and what an adventure that was! I am by no means an animal person. I respect and enjoy them at a far distance, however, I wanted to get as close as I could to the animals on this adventure, just wow! My son, 9 yrs old, was living his dream. He saw elephants, zebras, rhinos, leopards, cheetahs, warthogs, lions, giraffes, hippos, hyenas and birds of all colors and shapes and sizes. I definitely won ‘the best mom’ award… for this year anyways, lol. The lodging was beautiful, I was skeptical with the ‘tent’ description, but wow, wow, wow! Surrounded by nature and calming sounds of the water, it was restorative after the intensive week with the Wema Centre. The food was incredible, unlimited tea and coffee at any time – you could say I was also living my dream!
Thank you Barbara and Fareen as our Kutana Wema co-leaders for an experience of a LIFETIME! My gratitude to you both is endless.
Shannon:
One of the most profound moments during my time in Kenya this month was during Week 1 with the Kutana Wema program, hosted through Redbird Therapy Centre. We visited a dumpsite in Mombasa, where children and their families live in heartbreaking conditions. Homes are built from scraps, food is salvaged from garbage, and many walk barefoot among glass and debris. Yet even in the face of such hardship, hope and joy persist.
One especially sweet memory is from our time on the bus with the kids, taking them back to the main area after spending a few hours together. Their smiles, laughter, and pure happiness filled the bus and gave me hope. They sang, clapped, and radiated joy, reminding me of the resilience of the human spirit.
But as the bus came to a stop and they got off, tears streamed down my face. The weight of their reality hit me all over again. One little boy stood out to me—his small bag with four pieces of bread clutched tightly in his hands. His excitement over those four pieces of bread broke me, yet it also reminded me how much even the smallest acts of kindness mean in a place like this.
The Wema Centre is a lifeline for so many of these children, giving them a chance at a better future. Their slogan, ‘Love never fails,’ could not be more true. They rescue and rehabilitate children from the dumpsite or inner-city streets, providing them with a safe home, education, and the love and care every child deserves.
I am deeply grateful to Kutana Wema for all they do and for the opportunity to spend two weeks with Barbara and Far on this Hope Building Project.
As hard as it was to witness such despair, the joy, gratitude, and hope of these children are unforgettable. They inspire me to continue doing my part to support them and other children like them.
Although we can’t fix the problem, let us remember that even small acts of kindness can bring joy and change lives. Love truly never fails.
To learn more about the Kutana Wema program and how it is transforming lives in Kenya, please visit: www.redbirdtherapy.ca/kutana/.
Week 2 of my journey was a Safari Retreat hosted by Believe Safari—an awe-inspiring experience that gave me time to reflect, connect with nature, and witness the beauty of the wild at Masai Mara. I’ll be sharing more about this incredible experience in a separate post, as both weeks deserve to be highlighted individually.
- Two smart and super fun young women, Kaylee Lacey and Whitney Leveille – both Wealth Advisors in Canada – were well-received in their financial and business development module to the Entrepreneurial Class at Wema! Thank you Whitney and Kaylee!
- DTBY has made available to Wema Youth their online youth empowerment programs – Leader Within and Financial Wellness & Resilience. Check these programs out! They’re helpful even from those of us who aren’t quite youth anymore.
- Redbird and Wema continue to host the bi-annual International Peer Trauma Consultations (June & September).
- This is a call to all Trauma Therapists – join us in the consultation group and/or Volunteer your time with our (one-to-one) Peer-to-Peer Program with Kenyan-based counselors. We have a matching program that’s been running for two years now and we have some openings available.
- A Community Economic Development Project and a Safe Phones Project for street-connected children is being dreamed up! Stay tuned for more details.
- We are looking to start a Black Mentorship Program between adults in Canada and the older Wema youth, creating space for inspiration and hope! Are you willing to share your story? Have you got two hours to donate? We’d love to hear from you!
- Redbird has expanded opportunities for you to DIRECTLY SUPPORT WEMA through financial donations or donations-in-kind. Check out the new information on our Kutana Wema page
- Moving forward, in Redbird’s monthly newsletters, there will be a Wema Updates section. Make sure to check them out each month!
- The BIGGEST NEWS is that the 2025 Kutana Wema program, with additional support from Rotary Burlington North Turkey Trot – raised 10% of Wema’s annual operating budget! That is double our goal to provide sustainable, foundational funding for Wema’s programs. We are so grateful for all the support received this year. THANK YOU!
From the Kutana Wema Team – Barbara, Far & Eunice, Wema Program Manager
Kutana Wema would like to thank our Kenyan Community Sponsors – Neptune Hotels and Believe Safari. If you or your company would like to become a sponsor for the Kutana Wema program, with financial or service donations, we welcome additional Community Sponsors. If you would like to support the Wema Centre directly in their ongoing work to rescue, rehabilitate and reunify street-connected children, the Kutana Wema program through Redbird Therapy can ensure 100% of your donations, excluding bank fees, will reach Wema Centre.
On the Kutana Wema page, part way down, you’ll see direct links for Wema donations and Kutana Wema sponsorship. Thank you so much for supporting this incredible work!
