In many marginalized communities and informal settlements across Kenya, children face ongoing challenges, including exposure to violence, trauma, and a lack of safe spaces for emotional and social development. However, an innovative organization is using the power of movement to rewrite their stories.
Cherelle Druppers, co-founder of the ChezaCheza Dance Foundation, is on a mission to harness the power of movement to improve children’s mental health and resilience. By creating safe spaces where movement, music, and mindfulness come together, ChezaCheza is pioneering a new way to support the well-being of young people in vulnerable communities.
In the pilot episode of Credo Voices season 2, Cherelle shares how ChezaCheza’s work is not just about teaching dance; it’s about using movement to help children develop self-expression, confidence, and coping mechanisms.
“Dance is not the outcome—it’s the medium for change,” This philosophy drives ChezaCheza’s structured curriculum, which integrates dance movement therapy, social-emotional learning, and mindfulness. Their youth-led approach identifies and trains talented local dancers as coaches, empowering them to run programs in their own communities. This ensures cultural relevance, sustainability, and long-term impact.
Beyond community programs, ChezaCheza collaborates with schools through their Happy Schools program. This initiative trains teachers to implement the ChezaCheza curriculum in schools, expanding the organization’s reach and impact. While the teachers may not always come from the communities where they work, they bring ChezaCheza’s transformative methodology into formal education settings. ChezaCheza envisions integrating its dance-based approach into Kenya’s national curriculum. With the country’s shift towards a competency-based education system, there is a unique opportunity to embed social-emotional learning through movement into everyday classroom experiences. By aligning with this educational transformation, ChezaCheza hopes to ensure more children have access to creative, therapeutic, and confidence-building learning experiences.
By fostering emotional healing and building life skills, ChezaCheza’s work directly advances Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health & Well-Being), proving that creative expression can be a powerful force for social change. Their programs have reached children in slums, informal settlements, and even refugee camps, providing them with tools to navigate life’s challenges and thrive.
Dance is more than art—it’s a tool for empowerment,” says Awele Okigbo, CEO of Credo Advisory. “Cherelle’s work demonstrates that when children express themselves in safe and supportive spaces, they build confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify and visit our website for more information. To learn more about Cherrelle and her work, follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram and visit her website.
New episodes of Credo Voices are released monthly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube as part of Credo Advisory’s commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering a global community of change-makers.