About Us
HOW IT STARTED
OUR STORY
MENDAYA began with the journey of a boy who lost his father, was abandoned, and learned too early to survive alone. In a home where pain was called discipline, he found safety only in creative design. As a young tailor in Kaduna, he discovered the power of creativity, how a piece of fabric could become a new beginning.
Years later, while meeting street boys who built mock ATMs from scraps to survive, he saw the same spark he once carried: resilience disguised as play. Their creativity reminded him of the creative resourcefulness and resilience in every child.
WHY WE EXISTS
Breaking The Boy Code
Boys are often raised to be strong.
But strength in many households doesn’t include being soft, crying, or admitting fear and showing vulnerability.
- Boys who fall are told to “get up.”
- Boys who cry are told to “stop.”
- Boys who feel too much are told to “man up.”
This is what we call “The Boy Code.”
It’s an unspoken rule that teaches boys to bury their emotions.
It turns pain inward until it breaks. It fuels violence, addiction, and trauma that lasts a lifetime.
But these boys grow. They become men. They become husbands and providers, and sometimes they become emotionally distant and angry; they become predators because they were never taught to process pain, but only to survive it.
We Imagine a different path, where boys are taught that true strength is being vulnerable enough to cry, to feel and to heal. If we do this, they will grow into men who protect, not harm. Men who build, not break.
VISION
A world safe for everyone, where no child is broken by abuse or neglect, and every child is educated and empowered to live with dignity and purpose.
MISSION
Using creative arts, fashion design, and storytelling, our mission is to create safe and empowering spaces where boys affected by abuse, neglect, and violence feel seen, heard, and valued. Through experiential design education and hands-on creative learning, they develop emotional literacy, practical skills, and the tools to dream, create, and lead. By transforming textile waste into valuable resources, we strengthen families and build inclusive communities where every child grows with dignity and hope.
PHILOSOPHY
We believe that every child, regardless of background, deserves dignity and the right to learn, play, grow, and thrive. Humanity exists within all of us, regardless of gender, and it is this shared humanity that holds the key to peaceful coexistence. We believe childhood is sacred. Every child should be nurtured with education, shelter, food, clothing, and health, and every child should be prepared for adulthood with the skills to make informed decisions, because at 18, the justice system will not forgive what society failed to prevent.
VALUES
Creative Rebellion Dream Empathy Resilience Resourcefulness Equality Creativity Innovation Sustainability Personal Social Responsibility
Great Staff
Our Carers
Our carers love what they do, and that's what makes them so special.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam.