Written By Redbird Therapy
The Wema Centre is a place of care, safety, and possibility. For more than three decades, it has walked alongside children and young people in Mombasa, Kenya, offering not only protection and education, but the steady, loving presence needed to heal and grow.
Kutana Wema grew from this foundation – a partnership between the Wema Centre and Redbird, rooted in relationship, shared learning, and long-term commitment. In this conversation with Eunice Njoroge, Program Manager at Wema Centre, and Barbara Brown, Program Leader for Kutana Wema, we are invited into the heart of that partnership: how it began, what it looks like in practice, and why meeting one another with openness and humility matters so deeply.
How did the Kutana Wema partnership come into being?
Barbara Brown: Kutana Wema grew out of a shared belief that collaboration can create something far greater than what any of us can build alone. After 37 years working as a trauma therapist, I can say without hesitation that Wema Centre is the most comprehensive and effective trauma and child protection program I have ever encountered. What Lucy Yinda and the Wema team have sustained since 1993 is nothing short of extraordinary. A holistic, deeply human approach to care that supports children from early childhood through university.
When Redbird began deepening our cross-cultural and BIPOC-focused initiatives, it felt essential to partner in a way that was grounded in mutual respect, long-term commitment, and real relationship. Not charity, not one-off volunteerism. The idea was to create something that allowed people to meet one another fully: emotionally, spiritually, and practically. The Swahili word Kutana – “to meet” – captured that intention perfectly.
Eunice Njoroge: When Fareen and Barbara first introduced the idea of Kutana Wema in 2021, we were immediately excited – not only because it was something new, but because it was beautifully unique. It wasn’t about coming in to “fix” anything. It was about learning together, sharing knowledge, and building genuine connections.
What does the word Kutana mean, and why does it matter?
Barbara: Kutana means “to meet” in Swahili, and I love how much depth that simple word holds. There are so many ways we can think about meeting – spiritually, emotionally, through shared work and vision, by coming to know another’s story or worldview, or by understanding someone’s needs and responding in love.
What has become increasingly clear through this work is that while we share core human needs – belonging, love, recognition, and enough of the basics – our lived realities are often profoundly different. Social power, opportunity, and access shape how we move through the world, and those differences don’t disappear just because we are well-intentioned.
I’ve learned that when the playing fields aren’t equal – and they never are in cross-cultural relationships – trust takes time. One of my quiet markers that we’ve truly met is when the relationship becomes honest enough for teasing, for naming hard truths, and for sitting together as equals at the table.
Kutana matters because it asks for depth over speed. It’s about sustained relationships, humility, and learning over time – values that sit at the heart of Kutana Wema and Redbird’s commitment to long-term, meaningful partnership.
What does mutual learning look like in practice at Wema?
Eunice: Mutual learning has been at the heart of the Kutana Wema program from the beginning. It has created a space where we are able to share our knowledge and skills while also learning from people of diverse cultures and professional backgrounds. This exchange has helped raise awareness about child protection issues in Kenya, while also allowing us to grow through new perspectives and ways of working.
Through Kutana Wema, we have felt recognized as true professionals in our field. The program has opened our hearts to new ways of being gracious and kind – to ourselves, to the children, and to the adults we serve.
What is Wema all about?
At the Wema Centre, children are not only protected and supported, but given the space to grow, shine, and claim their place in the world. As Eunice reminds us, the real impact comes from showing up, learning together, and building long-term relationships grounded in trust and love.
If you’d like to support this work, you can donate to Wema Centre here.
100% of your contribution goes directly to Wema Centre, helping sustain their comprehensive care and life-changing programs
