Kwetu Faraja

Lorien Knapp serves as the Executive Director for Kwetu Faraja. With a background in Engineering, she moved to Tanzania in 2008 to work in community development. During her first few months she was exposed to the situation of street children and began developing a clearer vision for how to address the diverse needs of this vulnerable population. While working with members of the street community she learned of the pitfalls which compromise the goals of so many charitable organizations. In 2012, alongside her husband Paul Alex, the two formed a new organization with a fresh vision for how to care for orphans and vulnerable children. Lorien offers the technical background for community development, administrative oversight of the organization, and a heart of compassion for those who are suffering. The children of Kwetu Faraja and of the streets refer to her as “the mother of many children.”

Paul Alex Sayayu serves as the Manager of Operations for Kwetu Faraja. He knows personally the life of a vulnerable child, having grown up in the streets and survived many unthinkable challenges. He was fortunate to receive education and care in his early adult years that helped to shape his vision for how he could make a difference in the lives of other street children. Paul has an unparalleled rapport with the children of Kwetu Faraja and those of the streets because they respect the fact that he knows where they are coming from. His leadership provides a critical component where the crossroads of street awareness and rehabilitation meet.

Kwetu Faraja currently employs 13 individuals who work on our Kahunda campus. Our staff members represent diverse Tanzanian backgrounds and complementary skills for our organization. From dorm parents, to cooks, night watchmen, gardeners, counselors, and administrators – each worker interacts with our children on a daily basis and has the important opportunity of advising and encouraging each child in his particular stage of life. All of our staff members are trained to understand street life and the special needs of vulnerable children so that they can effectively reach the kids and interact with them in their heart language and culture.

Kwetu Faraja uses a Dual Board or Two Tier corporate system of governance. The Board of Directors in Tanzania manages the  programs and projects of the organization, and assists the Directors with NGO compliance. The Board of Directors in USA have supervisory responsibility for finances and project development ensuring compliance with our 501(c)3 Registration. It also acts as the primary fund-raising board and maintains formal communication between our Tanzanian operation and our international sponsors.

Our Children come from diverse geographic regions, tribes, and backgrounds. Many are orphans with no family to provide for their needs. Others are social orphans, casualties of broken family structures, who have been left to find their own way in life. They all have one thing in common: They are in need of a home and a family, love and acceptance, education and provision.

 Most of our children were rescued from the streets of Mwanza. Others have been rescued from migrant fishing camps on the islands of Lake Victoria. They all know personally what suffering looks like and each child in our family needs healing. At Kwetu Faraja they find a safe place to call home – where they can be nurtured and given an opportunity for a better life.

Volunteers bring a special energy to our campus. Our boys absolutely love interacting with people from different parts of the world – hearing about new places, practicing language skills, working alongside new friends, and experiencing the joy of being cared for by people who travel around the world just to see them!  We have work projects going on all year round, and volunteers are a great help for each of these tasks. If you would like to volunteer with us, please check out our volunteer page.