Wafex Kenya is known to connect individuals practically everywhere across the world with the finest flowers from Kenya. The flower sourcing and logistics provider, which is the Kenyan subsidiary of the larger Wafex Group, Australia’s leading flower company with offices in the USA, Kenya, Ecuador, Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane as well as a global presence in twenty-six countries, offers a wide variety of all the floral beauty that Kenyan—and other regional—growers have to offer. But that’s not all that there is about this company. The flower-sourcing establishment based in Nairobi, which is constantly seeking to grow its floral networks, has always been dedicated, not just to its flower segment, but also to the sustainability and social welfare aspect of its being.
Bringing Floral Cheer and Putting a Smile on Kids’ Faces
Located in a small settlement—in a little town named Kamulu—just a few miles outside Kenya’s capital Nairobi, Kiota Children’s Home is an establishment that houses needy kids; those whose parents are unavailable, and who have neither the means nor the wherewithal to cater to their sustenance and upkeep. The tens of kids aged between 2 years old and 16 have, for most of their lives known Kiota Children’s Home as their home, and its founder Pastor Dorcas Wanjiru as their mother.
Dorcas started the home in 2018, and with the help of five employees, has been taking care of the children ensuring that they have as much of what they need as she can afford; which in actual sense, isn’t much given they mostly depend on sympathizers and well-wishers for all their wants and everyday needs and requirements. Aside from its floral exploits, Wafex Kenya has been sponsoring this noble cause. Every year particularly during the festive season, and in the spirit of bringing floral cheer and putting a smile on the kids’ faces, Wafex Kenya has been supporting the home in different ways. And this year wasn’t any different.
Wafex Kenya Team at Kiota Children’s Home
In a program coordinated by its stewards Florence Didy, the Sourcing Coordinator at Wafex Kenya, and her colleague Jane Njogu, Wafex Kenya—in the flower sourcing and logistics provider’s usual festive season style—took it upon itself to deliver the much-needed festal cheer and merriment to the kids’ home; delivering goods and chattels, and other utilities, and also providing money and other items required to cater to the children’s schooling.
Florence Didy:
“It, basically, was all about catching up with the kids, bringing them the festive season’s cheer, and delivering the good and beauty of flowers to them. We have been doing this—holding such sessions—with them annually for some years now. It has grown into some sort of tradition these days.”
Therefore, December 8th saw the Wafex Kenya team led by Claris Wanjohi, the company’s Global Export Manager, socializing with the children; intermingling and interacting with them in all aspects, and allowing the kids to feel like any other privileged kids and experience cheer amid the beauty of flowers.
With a variety of blooms sourced from growers including Zee Flora, Cenacle Kenya, Ever Flora, and K-Net Flowers, Thursd’s Rosemary Kimunya, who is the Kenya Flower Festival founder partook in elementary flower design and arrangement sessions with the kids; teaching them how to work with flowers, and creating items like floral crowns and wreaths in a new experience, perhaps, quite unlike any of their previous such activities. And in all these, the children’s delight was real, one could easily tell!
With the personal support of Craig Musson, who is Wafex's founder, the Wafex Kenya team also ensured that the kids had different other well-being sessions specially dedicated to them. For instance, a team from St. John Ambulance Kenya, a regional first aid and health charity organization held a medical camp, providing health checkups for the children, just to ensure that they are, also, well taken care of in terms of healthiness.
Even still, the kids were also treated to thrilling grooming, make-up, and face-painting sessions which involved a team of make-up professionals available to participate in the whole activity. Still, a set-up playing area was put in place for their entertainment, providing another unique experience for them. That was not all, because, to top these up, sumptuous meals were also served! It was all about giving them a new experience from what they are used to.
Delivering the Beauty of Kenyan Flowers... Everywhere!
Wafex Kenya is all about delivering the beauty of Kenyan flowers worldwide; linking flower lovers and enthusiasts across the globe with the people producing these flowers, in a seamless hassle-free chain. Yet, this all-encompassing obligation incorporates, not just the florists, wholesalers, traders, and other flower lovers elsewhere, but also brings on board the locals, especially those who are disadvantaged.
The Wafex team’s visit to Kiota Children’s Home was just an example of how this flower sourcing and logistics company emphasizes, encapsulates, and shines the spotlight on the notion that flowers are indeed, in different ways, good for individuals and that the flower industry in general—in its own different ways—also cares for the well-being of people everywhere and the community in general.
All photos by Wafex Kenya.
