Journey to Wholeness
Strengthening Adolescent Mental Health, Psychosocial Wellbeing and Gender-Equitable Relationships
Haven of Dreams is implementing Journey to Wholeness, a peer-led mentorship programme under the Surround Sound Kenya (SSK) initiative, supported by Shuga Global and Shujaaz Inc. The programme works with adolescents and young people aged 15–24 years, creating safe and supportive spaces where young people can openly explore issues affecting their mental health, relationships, sexuality, identity and wellbeing.
At Haven of Dreams, we recognise that young people’s mental health cannot be addressed in isolation from the social environments in which they live. Harmful gender norms, stigma, unequal relationships, sexual and reproductive health challenges, violence and limited access to appropriate support can all affect young people’s psychosocial wellbeing.
Journey to Wholeness responds to these interconnected challenges by placing young people at the centre of learning, reflection and peer support.
What We Do
Through trained peer facilitators, young people participate in interactive sessions that encourage open dialogue, reflection and practical learning. The sessions explore topics including:
- Gender norms and expectations
- Consent and personal boundaries
- Healthy and respectful relationships
- Sexual and reproductive health and rights
- Sexual and gender-based violence
- Communication and decision-making
- Emotional and psychosocial wellbeing
Rather than relying only on traditional teaching approaches, the programme uses dialogue, storytelling, role play, peer reflection and participatory activities. This allows young people to connect the discussions to their own experiences and realities.
Creating Safe Spaces for Young People
A central part of Journey to Wholeness is creating spaces where young people feel respected, heard and able to participate without fear of judgement.
Peer facilitators help create these spaces by encouraging young people to ask questions, share experiences and reflect on social expectations that influence their relationships and choices.
For adolescents who may initially be withdrawn or uncomfortable discussing sensitive issues, peer-led engagement can provide an important entry point for building confidence and finding their voice.
Connecting Young People to Support
Journey to Wholeness goes beyond awareness creation. Young people who require additional support can be connected to appropriate services through established referral pathways.
Depending on their needs, participants may be linked to:
- Counselling and psychosocial support
- HIV testing services
- Sexual and reproductive health services
- Contraceptive information and services
- Other relevant community and institutional support
The programme also introduces young people to Sema Na Me, a psychosocial support chatbot available through SMS and WhatsApp, providing an additional option for young people who may find it difficult to seek support face-to-face.
Engaging the Wider Community
Young people’s wellbeing is influenced by families, institutions and communities. For this reason, Journey to Wholeness also creates opportunities for intergenerational dialogue.
Parents, teachers, community leaders, religious leaders, health practitioners and other societal actors are engaged in conversations around the social pressures facing young people and the importance of creating supportive environments.
The programme also uses edutainment, including Shuga screenings and community discussions, to create opportunities for young people and other community members to discuss issues that can sometimes be difficult to address directly.
Our Approach
At Haven of Dreams, we believe that young people should not only be recipients of information—they should be active participants in shaping conversations about their lives and wellbeing.
Journey to Wholeness therefore combines:
Peer Leadership → Safe Dialogue → Reflection → Skills Building → Referral → Community Support
This approach helps bridge the gap between awareness and access to support, while encouraging young people to develop healthier relationships with themselves, their peers and their communities.
Building Young People’s Confidence and Voice
Early implementation of Journey to Wholeness has shown encouraging signs of change among participating young people. Participants have demonstrated increased awareness of consent, healthy relationships and personal boundaries, while some previously withdrawn adolescents have become more confident in communicating and expressing themselves.
The programme has also created opportunities for young men to participate more openly in conversations about SRHR, HIV, contraception and gender-based violence.
Importantly, peer support does not always end when a formal session ends. Young people can continue seeking guidance from peer facilitators when they encounter challenges in their relationships or personal lives.
Our Vision
Haven of Dreams envisions a society where young people can grow up healthy, confident, informed and empowered to make decisions about their lives.
Through Journey to Wholeness, we are contributing to that vision by investing in young people, strengthening peer support systems and creating spaces where difficult conversations can happen safely.
We believe that when young people are given the opportunity to speak, be heard, learn from one another and access appropriate support, they can become powerful agents of positive change in their relationships, families and communities.