Over the next eight weeks, Lifesong Kenya will share stories of eight boys from our Halfway House. This supowepower series contains unconventional success narratives that do not follow the familiar arc of broken-to-fixed. They follow a different arc entirely that focus on pointing individuals to their superpower.
“Everything has beauty – photography teaches you to see it.”
— Steve Buissinne, Pixabay
The Reframing Philosophy
At Lifesong Kenya, we are using the Co-Active model of coaching and leadership. Through collaboration with Helen House, Monica Garcia, Andrea Fleischfresser, Daniel Pooch and Camila Bennett, something remarkable is happening.
We are learning that behaviors which manifest in most vulnerable boys as destruction often masks their most constructive gifts. The boy who influences others into causing more trouble is not a bad influence. He is an influencer who is without direction. The boy who is slow while doing house chores is not lazy. He is deliberate in a world that rewards speed.
The boy who lies about school absences is not dishonest. He is a storyteller in crisis. The boy who is rude to his mother is not defiant. He is a protector and advocate who needs redirection. The boy who ruins bicycles is not destructive. He is a mechanic who needs the right tools and proper guidance.
By pointing the boys to their Leader Within we are using an approach that aims at reframing and not fixing. We believe that fixing implies brokenness. Fixing suggests that a boy must become someone else—quieter, more compliant, less himself—to be acceptable.
On the other hand, reframing implies something gentler and more accurate. The boy who is getting into trouble must become more aware about his unintended impact, with turn his power into a strength.
Superpower Series
Each week, we will introduce one boy through our superpower series. This is a “superpower”—a strength that initially brought him trouble until someone looked closer. Each story includes:
- The struggle that the world saw
- What we chose differently
- The gift we have we discovered
- Where our boys see themselves going
- Questions for organizations working with vulnerable groups
Meet Our Superheroes
1: Tausi — The Influencer: The boy who convinced another to drop out of school now convinces boys to stay.
2: Kaka — The Strategist: Called clumsy and slow, his patience nurtures life.
3: Kiwi — The Observer: Misread as rude, his silence sees everything.
4: Prof — The Mathematician: Written off as a truant, he is our most reliable steward.
5: Split — The Storyteller: The boy who lied to survive now writes stories that heal.
6: Rays — The Protector: Rude to his mother, he is now her greatest advocate.
7: Captain — The Mobilizer: Seen as pushy, he keeps our programs running rain or shine.
About the Stories
Each story uses a fictional name to protect identities. However, each story is shares an experience of boys in our program. Out there, they get vulnerable into trouble, and conflict. At Lifesong Kenya, we turn them into superpowers.
Each story is shared with consent from our boys. We share these superpower series to invite you into a different way of seeing beyond labels. If these stories change how you look at your children or boys in your own community—if they make you pause before punishing, ask before assuming, reframe before fixing—then they will have served their purpose.
Week 1 begins tomorrow with Tausi.
Support Our Mission
Lifesong Kenya operates a Halfway House for boys in Kenya and is located in Ngong, Kajiado County. We provide housing, coaching, counseling, education and skills training for boys who need shelter. Welcome to partner, donate or volunteer with us in service of boys who need a second chance. Â
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