Category: Our stories

My name is Rita came to Nairobi to look for any job opportunity after my husband had decided to marry another woman in the village leaving me to starve with my children. As it is always a challenge to find jobs, that’s how I ended up in staying within the slum areas and specifically Mathare area. Life was very much challenging that I could end up starving with my children due to lack of food. The little money that I could get from the scarce casual labour like washing clothes and utensils in the nearby Eastleigh estate, is what would help me to purchase some the food staffs but unfortunately this still wouldn’t be enough for my household. It had reached a point where even my first-born girl would assist me by going to look for charcoal particles and sell so that we could get what to eat. In small, squeezed and cold room during the nights, my children still couldn’t be able to sleep well and what used to pain me most is that even during the day that most of her age mates would be in school learning, they were not able to attend the classes because I couldn’t afford to pay for their school fees.

As it had now became our normal routine of survival, my daughter one day met a group of social workers from Rescue Dada Centre who asked her why she was in the streets roaming while others were in school and they requested my daughter to take them to where she came from and show them the mother. They rescued my girl, took her in for rehabilitation and after 5months she was reintegrated and taken back to school. She is doing very well in school. I was also supported to start a business that has helped me to meet the needs of my household. I have been able to move from my initial house that was in a bad condition to a better and a spacious house just because of RDC.

My business has been so beneficial and have managed to add more products that increase my profit daily. I really appreciate the efforts of RDC for they have made me to see the light in life that had seemed to dim back then. May this organization continue to exist so that many that are in vulnerable situations can benefit and change their lives in a positive way.

May God bless Rescue Dada Centre fraternity.

I was born in 2010 in Kavela, Meru County, the third born in my family. My early life was marked by hardship. After my parents separated, my siblings and I moved with our mother to Mlango Kubwa in Nairobi. We lived in a dilapidated iron-sheet shack that flooded whenever it rained. My mother, unemployed and struggling, often couldn’t afford basic necessities. Many days we had only one meal—or none at all.

Although I initially enrolled in school, I had to stop attending regularly because of unpaid fees. In 2023, I dropped out entirely to take on domestic responsibilities while my mother sought casual work in Eastleigh. To help, I started spending time on the streets, joining other children at the Mlango Roundabout on Juja Road. I begged for food and money, often receiving help from kind people near the mosques in Eastleigh. Any money I received, I gave to my mother. I also did casual jobs like washing clothes to support my family.

One day, social workers from Rescue Dada Centre found me during one of their routine street outreach visits. I was rescued and enrolled in their residential rehabilitation program, where I received psychosocial support, education, and tutoring. With the help of counsellors, my behaviour and attitude improved greatly. Meanwhile, my mother was trained in parenting and business skills in preparation for our family’s reunification.

Eventually, I was reintegrated into my family and enrolled at Juja Road Primary School. I’m now in Grade 8, attending regularly, and performing well. Our family’s life has changed significantly. My mother, now economically empowered, runs a thriving business. Our home is stable, and we enjoy three meals a day. All my siblings are also back in school, a reflection of how far we’ve come.

I look forward to completing my education and building a better future.

My name is Nekesa,16 yrs old girl, second born in my family. I was admitted at Rescue Dada Centre on February 16, 2022, after being rescued from the Pipeline-Kware slum in Nairobi. As a child in need of care and protection, I found refuge at the centre.  My life at home was marked by significant responsibility and neglect. I performed extensive household chores, including washing, fetching water, and cooking, finding solace primarily in the company of my siblings. My mother’s chronic alcohol abuse deeply troubled me, and I often assumed the role of caregiver for my younger siblings.  I would venture into the streets early each morning to beg for food or money, sharing whatever I obtained with my siblings. I received basic sustenance like flour, milk, and bread, and occasionally, small sums of money. Eventually, due to my mother’s escalating verbal abuse, I run away from home, seeking refuge on the streets. Believing I found a sense of peace there, I begged during the day and slept under a railway line at night. Despite facing the dangers of street life, including arrest by police and a bout of chest illness, for which I received treatment at Embakasi South Hospital, I felt a sense of freedom from abuse.

Rescued from the streets of Kware, I joined rehabilitation at Rescue Dada Centre. Through consistent counselling, I experienced significant behavioural improvement and expressed contentment with my newfound sense of control and direction. I was reluctant to return to formal schooling due to the transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) where I was supposed to start from lower grades and I could not fit in.  After the initial educational assisted, was successfully enrolled and completed a cosmetology vocational course at the centre.

Currently, I am enrolled in a catering course, generously supported by Rescue Dada Centre and its benefactors. My aspirations centres on uplifting my family from their current living conditions and ensuring my siblings continue with education. Rescue Dada entre became a source of hope. My ambition is to establish her own business upon completing my catering training.

While significant strides have been made, sustained support is vital to ensure the long-term stability of Nekesa’s household and prevent her and her siblings from returning to the streets. Continued assistance is crucial to realize her dreams and provide a secure future for her family.

My name is Annette. My story is one of courage, determination, and the transformational potential of prompt action. Before being rescued by Rescue Dada Centre, my life was characterized by adversity, hopelessness, and the constant fight for survival. I lived with my children on the outer edges of society for a number of years, barely making ends meet. I was first found in Nairobi’s South C neighborhood during a routine rescue. The only way I had of earning enough cash to purchase food for the day was to beg outside a nearby mosque, where I was frequently spotted. I would occasionally try my hand at odd occupations like housework, laundry, or small-scale kiosk assistance. But because these occupations were inconsistent and low-paying, I frequently made barely enough money for one meal. Without a steady source of money, the strain of raising my children was too much to bear.

Our living circumstances were horrible. The little, one-room shanty that Sophia and her children slept in was made of iron sheets and provided little shelter from the weather. Every time it rained, the floor became a muddy pool and the roof began to leak. We would cluster in a corner to avoid the gushing water on such evenings, and either sit or stand the entire time. No bed, no seclusion, no serenity. We suffered greatly emotionally, and our health and wellbeing were continuously in jeopardy. When we got into contact with Rescue Dada Centre on a street outreach, everything started to change. After assessment, it became evident that we required immediate assistance. One of my daughters was taken in right away for care, rehabilitation, and temporary housing. The girl was supported psychologically and taken through remedial education before being successfully enrolled in a formal school, which was a significant turning point that signified the start of a bright future.

I received financial literacy and business management skills from my participation in entrepreneurship workshops, psychological counseling, and life skills training. With the support of Rescue Dada Centre, I was able to start hotel. With the help of startup money and continuing coaching, my business took off. My perseverance and commitment soon made me an independent and self-assured businesswoman. As my income increased, I was able to move my family from the shanty, leaky shelter to a large, secure, and safe house.  We were able to sleep soundly for the first time in years, without the worry of rain or insecurity.

I now make a steady living and supports my children education and welfare. Rescue Dada Centre provided me with dignity, confidence, and a sense of belonging in addition to financial assistance. My life serves as an inspiration to other women in the same circumstances, demonstrating that change is achievable with the correct help.

My name is Marion, and this is my story. Life has a way of shaping us through the challenges we endure. For me, the turning point came during the 2015 school holiday. My mother had to travel to her hometown unexpectedly, leaving me under the care of my stepfather.

What followed during her absence was a deeply traumatic experience that shattered my sense of safety. It left me emotionally scarred and mentally drained. I sought help from a neighbour who took me in, but the psychological effects lingered. Speaking out about what had happened was difficult—especially when the community, influenced by status and appearances, failed to believe me. Instead of receiving support, I faced rejection and disbelief from those I trusted.

Unable to stay in that environment, I moved upcountry to live with a relative. Unfortunately, the situation only worsened. I was treated more as a servant than a child, subjected to constant mistreatment and denied the emotional care I so badly needed. The conditions affected my well-being and my education. Eventually, I had to drop out of school despite being a candidate in Class Eight.

Just when I had started losing hope, my aunt stepped in. She informed me about a centre that could help me heal and continue my education. That’s how I found myself at Rescue Dada Centre—a place that became the turning point in my life.

At Rescue Dada, I received counselling, care, and support. I began to confront the trauma I had buried for so long. With guidance from counsellors and social workers, I regained the strength to dream again. I rejoined school in Class Seven and progressed through the years with the centre’s support. In 2020, I sat for my KCSE exams and scored a mean grade of B (plain).

My academic journey didn’t stop there. I was admitted to Kenyatta University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce (Accounting option). I am currently in my second year, working hard to build a better future for myself and my family.

I remain hopeful and committed to my education. I believe in its power to transform lives, and I am determined to finish what I started.

My name is Nicole Muthoni, and I am a proud beneficiary of Rescue Dada Centre. My story is one of resilience, strength, and unwavering hope—woven through years of uncertainty, love, and divine intervention.

Though I was very young at the time, I came to Rescue Dada Centre as a sickly infant rescued from Pumwani by the Catholic Archdiocese. I had been in the hospital alone, with no trace of my biological family. To this day, I still do not know who my parents are—but I live in hope that one day, I will.

One Sunday, my story was shared during mass at the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi. It was there that Mr. David Robertson, an American working in Nairobi, heard about me. Moved by compassion, he took me into his home to care for me and support my recovery. Unfortunately, after the tragic 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Mr. Robertson, who was employed there, had to return to the United States. Due to the security risks, he made the difficult decision to return me to Rescue Dada Centre.

Back at the Centre, a new chapter began. Irene, the then Director of Rescue Dada, was contacted by a lawyer whose aunt—my now adoptive mother—was seeking to adopt a child. That call changed my life forever. In 2000, my adoption was finalized, and I joined a loving family in Nairobi.

Growing up, I lived with my adoptive family and sometimes stayed with different relatives, but I never lost sight of what mattered—my education and purpose. I was consistently a top-performing student, and though I was initially called to Moi Tea Girls’ High School, I instead joined Riara Springs Girls’ High School, where I continued to thrive.

After high school, I received an opportunity to pursue higher education in the United States. I studied Psychology and Entrepreneurship—two fields that helped me understand not just human behavior but also the power of innovation in creating change.

Today, I live and work in Detroit, Michigan, where I support high-growth entrepreneurs and manage projects in business analytics and entrepreneurial development.

My journey—while rooted in unknowns—has been guided by resilience, faith, and the belief that our past does not define our future. I remain deeply grateful for the love I received through Rescue Dada Centre and the family that chose to believe in me.

My passion now is to give back. I want every girl and boy who passes through the doors of Rescue Dada to know that their story is still being written—and it can be beautiful. I hope to be a living testimony that no matter where you start, there is always a path forward. I want to be a catapult of hope—just as others were for me.