Friday, February 27, 2026 (KESAL)___The Welfare and Rights Division in the State Department for Diaspora Affairs (SDDA), led by Amb. Hellen Gichuhi, Secretary for Diaspora Welfare and Partnerships, wrapped up a transformative three-day capacity-building and psychosocial debrief retreat at the Kenya School of Adventure and Leadership (KESAL).
Amid the demands of a grueling 2025—where the division managed over 900 distress cases, coordinated evacuations across multiple countries, and repatriated more than 165 mortal remains—the officers stepped away from routine pressures to reflect, recharge, and sharpen their service delivery.
Representing Principal Secretary, Ms. Roseline K. Njogu, CBS, Amb. Gichuhi described the retreat as a mission-critical intervention for a team serving as the invisible lifeline for Kenyans abroad.
"This was our vital pause button," she said, addressing the collective challenges faced in upholding SDDA's core mandate.
The program blended legal training on complex distress cases with Psychological First Aid, group debriefs, and one-on-one sessions.
Ditching the traditional boardroom, sessions unfolded under tree canopies, fostering open reflection, honest dialogue, and renewed focus.
Director and Head of the Division, Ms. Emma Gicheha, emphasized the outcomes: "We're leaving as a stronger, better-equipped team—committed to elevating welfare and rights services while prioritizing our mental well-being.
Team-building games, bonding exercises, and outdoor decompression activities helped officers reconnect beyond case files and emergency calls, boosting its morale and teamwork.