A plate heaped too high
I’ve been reflecting on how grateful I am for the simple fact that Kafika House is functional, funded, and largely future-proofed. This might sound like a ‘count your blessings' gratitude practice – it’s not.
In fact, it’s more like a trauma response. Transparency has always been important to me – and the truth is that this journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
The other day, I was asked an innocent question: ‘is Kafika House just in Arusha, or are you in other parts of Tanzania too?’ I was surprised by how much it stung.
It flagged up the pain and shame I’d been carrying – after all, it wasn’t long ago that we were talking about five Kafika Houses across the country, plus our own paediatric hospital.
Last year we hit the midpoint of our five year strategic plan, and it was a real moment of reckoning.
Reviewing all the ambitions we had in 2022 took me back to how eager we were for all the potential we could see.
I look back and see us sprinting madly off the starting block – or, to borrow a motto from the startup world, moving fast and breaking things.
Our whole philosophy, though, is centred around healing, and that’s a very different process.
Have you ever bitten off more than you could chew?
Starting our own NGO made me feel like the horizon was endless.
I was so energised by this that I didn't account for the cost of heaping our plate so high.
Because it’s been too painful to fully own, it’s a story I haven’t yet told.
The truth is that biting off more than I could chew nearly choked me – and it nearly choked Kafika House too.
The fact that we’re still here is testament to the team; to the strength of our vision and mission, and to our incredible partnerships.
Where we are now is very different from where we thought we’d be – and not only am I okay with that, but I’ve also learned that it’s exactly where we need to be.
Just as Kafika House has evolved, so have I.
As I steward this baby of mine toward its 20th year, the path ahead of us is clear.
Though my natural impulse will always tend toward expansion and growth, I’m learning to live by the philosophy of our healing journey.
Arriving at a place of wholeness, at a place where you have attained your potential, takes the time that it takes…
We never rush the process – and there is grace when we falter and stumble.
So, what does this road ahead look like?
We’re recruiting a Deputy CEO, and I’ll take the next two years to slowly divest myself of the day-to-day operations.
This will give me the space to focus on the bigger picture…
Partnerships, fundraising, storytelling, and strategy.
This gradual, incremental process is all about strengthening the base: shoring up the model, and making sure that we’re ready when the time for growth comes.
Thank you for sticking with us through these falters and stumbles.
Knowing it’s part of our growth makes it easier to be vulnerable, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the fact that there’s space for that.
With love,
Sarah