It is so refreshing to see how Tausi’s superpower is now lifting others up. A few years ago, this was not so. But thanks to redirection and reframing work, Tausi is now using his superpower for a greater cause. Here’s the full story.
The streets of Korogocho demand a certain kind of voice—loud, certain and commanding enough to take you to the top of the food chain. Tausi,who is currently staying at our Halfway House, developed that voice early. By the time he was in his preteens, Tausi’s superpower to influence others was undeniable. When he spoke, other boys listened and followed where he led.
The problem, of course, was where he led them.
Every time, a mini riot happened in school when learners showed displeasure, boys got punished while Tausi walked scot-free. While most of the teachers considered him to be trouble free, behind the scenes, he was the one lighting the fire. After dropping out of school, Tausi survived Korogocho by leaning into his natural ability to lead and influence. He would stick his neck out by airing opinions on what needed to be done. When the leader of the pack needed someone to organize others around his vision, the lot fell on Tausi.
Within a short period of being on the streets, Tausi was so influential on the streets that no other street boy dared touch him.
The Arrival
Two years ago, a policewoman on patrol interacted with Tausi and something sounded different about him. When Tausi arrived at our Halfway House, we noticed something immediately. He did not wait to be told what to do. He observed, assessed the situation and moved into action. Within days, he was identifying what needed to be improved at our Halfway House. He was organizing, mobilizing and leading again.
One of Tausi’s desire was to go back to schoo, a wish that we granted, thanks to support from our donors. After years on the streets, Tausi started struggling and couldn’t keep up. During a school break, he had a chat with other boys from our Halfway House and influenced them to quit school. His plan was for them to go back to the streets, where he knew how to survive and thrive. Tausi’s influence endangered both himself and other boys—not because he was malicious, but because he had never been shown how to use his influence for good.
Let’s focus on the boys who have remained behind and show they need our support, we reasoned. But, we went to the streets to bring back the boys to our Halfway House. Even as we did this, our first instinct was restriction as punishment to prevent future negative influence.
Tausi’s Superpower
But, thanks to using Co-Active model of coaching and leadership, we have learned that restriction only suppresses gifts. It does not redirect them. So we watched and dived deeper. We asked: What if Tausi’s influence is not the problem? What if the problem is that no one ever showed him how to redirect his influence towards his superpower?
We made a deliberate choice. Instead of punishing Tausi’s influence, we opted to recruit him as an ally.
During a Co-Active Coaching Session, we mentoned Tausi’s superpower to influence change. After a few sessions, Tausi offered to identify boys in school who needed support. It was not as a formal role that came with a title, but a natural extension of what he was already doing. We simply named what we saw: “Tausi, you a superhero who notices people and their needs. You are a lighthouse that leads people in the right direction. Let’s use your superpower to move people towards help instead of away from it.”
For a boy who had been used to rebuke and punishment from adults, the shift was not immediate. Trust takes time, particularly for boys who have learned that adult kindness often comes with strings attached. But eventually, Tausi began to redirect his own energy. He started noticing boys in his class who needed support with lunch money. He began noticing boys who were struggling silently and would never ask for help.
He became our eyes in the school corridors and a voice for the voiceless. The same boy who once convinced others to quit school is now using his superpower to help more boys to stay in school.
Framing Tausi’s Superpower
Tausi’s superpower is his natural ability to influence. It is a pure, undeniable and magnetic influence that moves hearts. It was always there. What changed was the direction.
This is what we mean when we say we do not fix boys, we use reframing. Fixing implies brokenness and suggests that boys like Tausi need to become someone else. Fixing means such boys need to become more quieter, more compliant and less commanding. However, reframing points an individual to becoming fully aware of their Leader Within and using it for a greater good.
The distinction matters because it transforms how we see every boy who walks through our doors. We notice the loud and pushy one who disorganizes and stirs trouble. We recognize that he is not a problem to be solved. He is a leader who needs to be pointed in the right direction. Thanks to this redirection, Tausi wants to become a community organizer. He has already started doing this. He often speaks for boys the world tries to ignore.
He talks about the boys who need rescue from the streets and the ones who are dropping out of school. His influence is bringing more boys at our Halfway House, boys who are speaking in loud voices and no one listening. Tausi wants to use his influence not to stir trouble, but to transform systems, care and support. We believe he will thrive in this superpower. Not because we fixed him, but because we finally saw what was already there.
For Organizations and Practitioners
If you work with vulnerable groups, consider these questions:-
- Who are the influencers in your program? Are they the compliant ones or the magnetic ones?
- What would happen if you redirected their negative influence instead of restricting it?
- How can you create roles that channel natural leadership toward constructive ends?
- What systems exist for vulnerable groups to identify and support other vulnerable individuals?
At Lifesong Kenya, we have found that the boys who challenge us the most often become the boys who lead us best. The key is refusing to see their ‘negative’ vibes as the problem—and choosing instead to become part of its redirection.
About Lifesong Kenya
Lifesong Kenya provides housing, co-active coaching, education, counseling and skills training for vulnerable boys. Our mission is to be a beacon of hope, healing and transformation, where individuals can heal, regain their strength and rewrite the stories of their lives. Our vision is a Kenya where every boy, regardless of his background or brokenness, has access to the love, guidance and opportunity he needs to become a purposeful, contributing man.
To partner with us or learn more, contact info(@)lifesongkenya.org or visit our website.
#ChildProtection #Reframing #TraumaInformedCare #SuperpowerSeries #LifesongKenya
Shout out to Nicholas Githiri, a portrait photographer whose photos we have used in this article. You can find his portfolio here.
