Mkono Kwa Mkono draws strength from his 15-year journey of sobriety. His personal experience with addiction and recovery has fuelled a passion for empowering others to overcome similar challenges — today he serves as a beacon of hope for those struggling with addiction.
Mussa Ali was born in Uganda. His father was a Kenyan who worked in Uganda where he had his family. Mussa's journey began in childhood, marked by the horrors of the Ugandan civil war. Born into a middle-income Muslim family, he witnessed the trauma of war firsthand. His family's life was forever changed when his brother was abducted to join the army. As violence intensified, with people being killed and property destroyed, Mussa's father urged the family to relocate for safety. They eventually moved to their homeland, Kenya, where they had to start life from scratch. Mussa Ali was left alone, scared, and searching for solace.
The pain of losing his brother and watching his parents' defeat and financial struggles led him down a dark path. In his search for relief, he was introduced to drugs and substance abuse. At first, the substances seemed to numb his emotional pain and offered temporary comfort — but that comfort was short-lived. He battled stigma and isolation, surrounded by a society that often judged rather than understood. However, the community offered a sense of belonging and ubuntu spirit.
Mussa Ali knew he needed help and, with determination and support from Blue Cross, a missionary group, in 2011 he underwent three months of medical rehabilitation at Mtito Andei, Makueni County. The journey was painful, but it taught him discipline, awareness, and the value of community. He began volunteering and working with organizations like Dream Achievers, Kwacha Afrika, NACADA, Kenya Red Cross Mombasa, and ActionAid Kenya. In 2014 he was made Ostfrika-Projekt Coast Regional Coordinator.
These experiences shaped his vision for Mkono Kwa Mkono CBO, a community-based organization founded on 11th April 2024, dedicated to helping individuals recover from addiction and reintegrate into society. Today, Mussa Ali is driven to make a difference, seeking support to continue this vital work — providing awareness, referral services, and livelihood support opportunities for those struggling with addiction and after-care.
We visualize a healthy community free from drug and substance abuse addiction.
To mitigate and reduce drug and substance abuse in the Kenyan Coast Region, especially Kilifi, through prevention campaigns, treatment of individuals struggling with addiction, and social reintegration of recovered addicts.
To mitigate and reduce drug and substance abuse in the Kenyan Coast Region, especially Kilifi.
Mkono Kwa Mkono is guided by the following set of principles and values — each one a link in the chain that holds our community together.
