Vincent, 13, had a reputation that followed him everywhere—unruly, disobedient, and impossible to manage. Schools expelled him repeatedly, unable to cope with his behavior. But when he joined Emmaus Blessed School in 2018, his life took a different turn.
He attended his first Tawi session just weeks after admission. To his teachers’ surprise, Vincent quickly absorbed the lessons of teamwork, responsibility, and service. Within two months, he was chosen to attend the National Training Camp in Nairobi. Afterward, he began conducting Tawi sessions in his school, showing leadership and initiative.
When schools closed in June 2020, Vincent went to live with his grandmother in a rural village. There, within days, he gathered neighborhood children and started Tawi sessions. Curious elders followed the children one day and were astonished to see Vincent leading games, drills, songs, and discussions. Asked why he was doing it, Vincent answered confidently: “We are members of Arise & Awake Kenya. We run Tawi to build good character.”
That moment gave birth to the first community-based Tawi. Today, Vincent is a national instructor, training youth across Kenya to carry forward the mission.