Meet Our Amazing Team

Mara Menzies

Mara Menzies

The storyteller/Founder

Mara is a multi-award-winning storyteller, author, and founder of Msitu wa Ndoto. She believes deeply in the transformative power of stories to heal, inspire, and connect people. Through her work, Mara bridges traditional wisdom with modern storytelling, creating narratives that address important social issues while celebrating cultural heritage. Her stories reach across generations and communities, using the art of storytelling as a tool for positive change. As both a performer and author, Mara has earned recognition for her ability to craft meaningful narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and make a lasting impact.

Gracie Mutua

Gracie Mutua

Admin assistant

Grace Mutua keeps our spirits high. She brings a naturally warm and joyful presence to everyone she encounters. Trained in hospitality in Nairobi, Grace has built extensive experience working with hotels and tourism operators across the region, where her genuine care for people and attention to detail have made her a valued team member.

Sammy Musuko

Sammy Musuko

Guardian and Head Guide

Sammy Musuko is the guardian of the Panga ya Saidi cave, carrying on a sacred tradition that his family has honoured for generations. Sammy serves as both protector and educator for the site, keeping it safe from those mining for iron ore, maize cultivation or simple deforestation for firewood. His passion for nature runs through everything he does, from preserving the delicate ecosystem of the cave to teaching others about environmental stewardship. Sammy believes that education is the key to creating a beautiful future for all, and he dedicates himself to inspiring people to connect with the natural world.

Mara and Sammy

Who We Are

Hi, my name is Mara and I am a storyteller. Sammy and his family have been the Guardians of the incredible ‘Panga ya Saidi’ cave complex for several generations. We come from very different backgrounds, but when we met in 2021 we recognised something special in each other and became firm friends. We decided that working together was the best way forward and Taaa Daaa!!!! …Msitu wa Ndoto was born!

We work continuously to create a unique playground where families and communities can come together to enjoy each others company, to share beautiful experiences and learn about Kenya’s rich history, mythology, cultural heritage, the beauty of Mijikenda spirituality, local geology all in the midst of an extraordinary indigenous forest.

We are always grateful for opportunities to nurture nature, create employment and to support entrepreneurial activities, especially in the creative industries.

Our FANTASTIC partners:

LITTLE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION FOUNDATION(LEAF) helps us fulfill our goals in preserving and restoring nature with a percentage of ticket sales going to fund their work.

MR DUDU is our first creative partner, a young, self-taught artist from Nairobi, making art from recycled materials. He is training members of our community in the skill of dudu (bug) making and establishing his first workshop at the coast.

What is Msitu wa Ndoto?

Imagine visiting an ancient cave where a guide shares stories from the past, the Arab slave trade, the colonial period, the tradition on ‘kore’, and the painful story of a family who lost their child 78,000 years ago.

We are currently planning the first Story Forest in Kenya. Building has started and Phase 1 will be complete in October.Imagine wandering through a forest where stories from mythology, folklore and history come to life through artworks, sculptures, performances and workshops. I realised just how fast we are losing these juicy stories and wanted to create a space that celebrated and shared them. Now, the team and I invite you to engage, interact, enjoy these artworks, getting lost in worlds of heroes, warriors, music, talking animals and magical worlds. We welcome you to workshops, performances and festivals that take place throughout the year. We hope that you bring your family and friends to wander and wonder through our little forest, connecting us to the past, to nature and to each other, right here in Kilifi.

A little more info:

We wish to revive a curiosity in the past, a reverence for old knowledge, a recognition that ancient wisdom is necessary to move forward in ways that serve future generations in the best possible way and explore how modern technology can help us harness that and excite others with it, reconstructing a big, beautiful jigsaw puzzle of culture.

We are all part of one story, each playing our role and how beautiful it could be, if we could be containers for it all!