By Primerose Omoto
Pop and colour as the Samba Sports Youth Agenda marks two-and-a-half years of the Kumekucha Quest project.
The fete was held at Sunset Villa in Msambweni, Kwale County.
The event brought together various stakeholders to reflect on the milestone achievements, challenges and way forward for the project.
The historic event was focused on advocating matters of mental health awareness among youths with the theme dubbed ‘Wellness is Wealth’.
The program is funded by Grand Challenges Canada and implemented in Kenya through The Green String Network, Samba Sports Youth Agenda.
Since the program commenced in 2021, it has been a key force in propelling mental health and campaigns against crime, drugs and substance abuse and enhancing religious tolerance, peace and unity.
Speaking during the event, the project coordinator Mwanaisha Kuwania said the great celebration remains crucial in the organization’s calendar.
She said the project has played a key role in restoring hope, self-awareness, self-reflection, community care and relational well-being to children, adolescents and youth.
Kuwania said the project was designed to assist youth in dealing with mental health and equip them with the necessary skills for socio-economic growth.
“We engaged youth and children on trauma healing sessions, and offered facilitating attitude to help them cope with stressors and emotional triggers,” she said.
The Kumekucha Quest comprised a series of activities that assisted in creating safe spaces for the children and youth and strengthening their resilience.
The activities include training, mentorship programs, Sports and sensitization platforms and Emotional Management sessions among others.
More than 2000 youth were contacted, inspired and transformed across Waa, Tiwi, Ukunda and Diani in 27 months.
The organization’s CEO Mohamed Mwachausa said the initiative has changed the lives of hundreds of youths formerly involved in drugs and criminal activities.
He said the program reached out to Government prison facilities and provided trauma-healing counselling sessions to both inmates and police officers.
Mwachausa said crime has gone down since youth have embraced the art of forgiveness and maintaining peace.
“Insecurities cases have dwindled unlike before when youth used to chop one another with pangas and knives,” he said.
