Kenyan socialite and entrepreneur Vera Sidika celebrated her daughter Princess Asia Brown’s birthday in a way that touched hearts across the country — by spending the day with homeless children in Kibera, while also honouring the memory of the late Raila Odinga, whom she described as “a true Shujaa.”
The celebration, held on October 20 — Mashujaa Day, blended joy and compassion in equal measure. Rather than throwing an extravagant party as she has done in past years, Vera chose to mark her daughter’s birthday by giving back to the community.
She visited a children’s home in Kibera, bringing food, gifts, clothes, and cakes to celebrate with dozens of children who call the centre home.
“This year we chose to celebrate Asia’s birthday at Kibera Pride Children’s Home, and it turned out to be the best decision ever,” Vera said during the visit, as seen in a video shared on her Instagram page.
“These kids are so talented. They create great paintings.”
The move was widely praised by fans and fellow celebrities alike, who commended her for shifting focus from her famously glamorous lifestyle to an act of kindness rooted in empathy.
Photos and videos from the day showed Vera, her daughter, and her team spending time with the children — dancing, serving food, and cutting cake amid laughter and song.
This year’s celebration carried a particularly emotional tone. The date, October 20, already holds special significance — not just as Mashujaa Day, but also as the birthday of Vera’s firstborn daughter.
Vera has previously revealed that she chose the date deliberately when scheduling her delivery, wanting Asia’s birthday to fall on a day that celebrates Kenya’s heroes.
“I planned her birth to be on Mashujaa Day so that every year, we celebrate not just her life, but the spirit of heroism,” she once shared.
But in 2025, that spirit took on a deeper resonance. The country is still mourning the loss of Raila Odinga, Kenya’s long-serving opposition leader and liberation hero, who passed away earlier in October. Vera joined millions of Kenyans in paying tribute to him, calling him a legend.
On her social media pages, Vera posted a touching message: “Asia’s birthday this year hits different cant believe we lost a legend 5 days ago. Baba will forever be our SHUJAA. Rest easy.”
She and her daughter wore matching white T-shirts printed with Raila’s portrait and the words “Baba Is My Shujaa”, blending her personal celebration with a symbolic national tribute.
The gesture quickly went viral, with many Kenyans praising her for using her platform to acknowledge the former Prime Minister’s legacy.
Social media users flooded Vera’s comment sections with messages of admiration, many describing the move as “growth” and “maturity in motherhood.” Others applauded her for setting a positive example for her daughter and her large following.