Together for Children in Kenya: A safe space to grow – meaning more safe spaces for children

The Viva partner network, Together for Children (T4C), in Kisumu, Kenya brings churches and organisations together with one shared goal: improving the lives of children. From a period of dormancy, three years ago it has become active once more and is making incredible strides forward. Members of the network say it feels like a family—safe, supportive, and focused on helping every child grow in a healthy and holistic way. “When we meet, there’s no judgment, just people passionate about children learning from each other,” said one Sunday School leader who was recently asked about the benefits of being part of the network. This sense of belonging and shared purpose gives child care workers the support they need to do their work better. It allows them to share openly, ask questions, and find solutions together - meaning a bigger impact in the lives of children.

A Child Ambassador: responsible and proud

And, importantly, the impact is already being seen. One 11-year-old boy, Gweth, has started training as a child ambassador, one of the network’s projects in which member churches and organisations receive support and materials to train children and youth as peer leaders. Child ambassadors are then encouraged to share knowledge and learning, particularly about children’s rights, and to advocate for safer environments for children. He said, 

"Every time I heard the word ambassador, I thought it was for great men, politicians, and adults. After being trained, I realised even children can take up this responsibility. Now I feel proud. I was surprised when one of the parents also engaged me in a conversation on child rights. This is giving me a sense of responsibility and pride. I feel like an important person. Before, it was not easy to talk to older people freely, but now I see a possibility and a hope. I cannot wait to learn more, especially on the issues affecting children—for example, bullying, defilement and early marriage—so that I can represent them better."

Positive change in children

Gweth is not alone. The leaders of the churches and organisations that make up the network are seeing that children are beginning to grow new skills and develop fresh confidence:

• “Children who were once shy are now leading prayers, participating in drama, and speaking in front of the church.” — Sunday School Department Leader

• “We see children model, do poetry, and confidently express themselves. This builds self-esteem.” — Executive Director of an organisation

• “Children now volunteer to pray or share ideas during Sunday school.” — Church pastor

• “The ambassadors are not just symbols; they are doing real work educating and mentoring others.” – Organisation member

Strong commitment and clear mission

This positive and encouraging feedback was gathered in early May when the network’s appointed coach, Tryphosa, who is based in Uganda, travelled to meet with T4C leaders and conduct a small research piece to help the network understand its strengths and discover points of learning and development. In a survey carried out with seven leaders of organisations or churches that are engaging regularly with the network, each of them stated that they are fully committed to the success of the network and want to be more involved; one pastor shared that the mission is “very clear and specific—holistically targeting children.” Another church leader called it “a God-given vision, timely founded ... God’s purpose in the lives of children, families, churches, communities, and nations.”

Photographs are from Tryphosa’s visit to T4C in May 2025, which included a training session on governance as part of the network’s participation in Viva’s Quality Improvement System (QIS).

Opportunities to learn and grow

T4C offers training and learning events to its network members as participating churches and organisations are benefiting from Viva-supported programmes such as the Child Ambassador initiative and Why Children Matter, a training course run by churches to help communities to grow in understanding as to why families are so important for children and how churches can nurture children and their families to be all that God intends. Reflecting on the Quality Improvement System (QIS), a Viva-run modular course designed to build capacity in churches and organisations to deliver more effective care for children, the feedback was encouraging:

• “The consistency in trainings on child welfare has significantly improved our approach. We now know how to respond to child-related cases.” — Sunday School Teacher

• “The sessions are engaging. We are always given a chance to express our ideas.” — Senior Pastor

• One children’s officer shared that after joining the network, their organisation now has a Child Protection Policy, and everyone understands their role in keeping children safe.

The interaction with the churches and organisations that form the network has shown that being part of the Together for Children network offers more than just training—it creates a community where people care, share, and grow together. Ishmael, one of the network leaders, says, “As I coordinate the programmes for the network here in Kisumu, my joy is to see children cared for in an environment that is healthy for their growth and development and put smiley faces on the children we serve in our churches and organisation that says ... ‘I love to be here.’” Being part of this network empowers both adults and children to work for a better, safer, and more hopeful future.

Some participants suggested expanding the learning experience through cross-border exchanges with other networks, such as CRANE in Uganda, which has been running for nearly twenty years, to learn from each other and improve practices. It is encouraging that Together for Children members see the value of connecting with other partner networks in Africa, as, alongside having a dedicated coach, access to learning materials, and the opportunity of implementing joint funded programmes, this is a significant benefit of being associated with Viva – that partner networks in different countries can learn from other networks. We are glad that Together For Children has been ‘re-born’ in the last couple of years, and are grateful that it is part of our ‘global network of networks.’ As more churches and organisations work together, more children can experience life in all its fullness.