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”.