Our History

Nicole Perryman and Anada Treleven are social workers who collaborated on projects stemming from 2008. In 2013, Nicole started a private practice psychotherapy organization Aset Group Consulting and Counselling Services which serviced Scarborough, Durham Region and Bowmanville. In less than 7 years, Aset Group has serviced hundreds of adults, children, families, and couples, hosted many graduate students, and made significant contributions to the community.

In 2018, Nicole started Ifarada: Centre for Excellence, a non for profit organization designed to provide community-based programs and services. Through Ifarada, Anada started Empowered Queens, a support group for girls aged 8 to 11 years old designed to build their self-confidence, their self-esteem, connections with other youth, and identity. In 2019, Anada and Nicole collaborated on Kujenga Renewed Family Services, now coined: Kujenga Wellness Project.

Our story:

I never grew up in the ‘system’, but I worked in the system for most of my life. It was difficult to be apart of this system. I saw many young people struggle with their family relationships, with racism and systemic oppression, with experiences of trauma, with repeated brutality and over criminalization by the police, and within their homes. It was hard to observe, advocate, and be apart of. Through the pain, I had an idea to create services for Black youth, Indigenous youth and racialized youth who were not always best served in our community. That was over 15 years ago. So much has changed. So much has not. I am guided by hope that we will continue to part of the change we wish to see and become.

–Nicole Perryman