BUILDING STRONG MINDS THROUGH DANCE
ChezaCheza is a Kenyan not-for-profit founded in 2018, and we are on a mission to create access to safe spaces for children in marginalised communities where dance supports their mental health and well-being.
Dance as Therapy
Drawing on our love for dance and understanding of its therapeutic effectiveness, we crafted a unique solution: combining dance movements with social-emotional learning and mindfulness meditation within a culturally-responsive framework.
Through our therapeutic dance sessions, children experience the joy of dancing while flourishing into young adults with strong minds who show up in life with self-esteem and high self-awareness and approach life’s challenges with responsible actions.
Our Why
Did you know that 1.3 million children in Kenya between 10-19 years old struggle with mental health? Especially children in marginalised communities live in a chronic environment of stress, with high levels of violence, abuse and adversity.
There is a lack of accessible, engaging, and culturally appropriate psychological services in marginalised communities
Community Dance Coaches
We identify and train talented dancers from concerned disadvantaged communities to become Community-Based Dance Coaches. They are talented youth who are passionate to create social change in their communities.
Equipping them with context-sensitive dance therapy skills, counselling techniques, and child safety protocols which cultivates familiar, secure and culturally respectful spaces for accessible weekly therapeutic workshops.
Weekly Dance Sessions
Children receive a child-friendly, fun and culturally appropriate mental health service through weekly therapeutic dance sessions.
Each session incorporates Dance Movement Therapy,
Social-Emotional Learning and Mindfulness Meditation.
A new generation is resilient with healthy coping mechanisms for a healthy and harmonious community
How dance does it
EXPRESS
EMOTIONS
RELEASE
STRESS
BUILD
CONFIDENCE
We want to create safe spaces where you feel like you’re growing, where you belong and can make mistakes. We cannot change the environment, but what we can do is build strong minds. Everything starts with the mind.
— Francis Odhiambo
Co-founder ChezaCheza