An incredible and necessary place

Hajiri

 As you can see from these pictures our four new members of the family are happily settling in.
Sisters Selina, Hajiri and even one-year-old Maurine, on her own insistence, are going to school while Moses is enjoying life with the other little ones in the baby banda.

Maurine

Once a child realises they are safe and loved, have a bed to sleep in, food in their tummies and other kids eager to play with them, they soon settle, relax and begin enjoy themselves and to smile.
That is the Happy House magic...

Charlotte with Moses

Young volunteer,  Charlotte Poulter , was humbled and touched to witness the rescue of baby  Moses at the weekend.
Charlotte, who is now back in London where she is a sixth form student at the Harrodian School,  writes:

Moses

‘’I was playing with some of the children when  Uncle Billy came over and asked me if I wanted to go with him to collect a new little boy.
 I was really pleased that he asked me . The whole way there I was trying to imagine what it would be like and what state the child might be in. 
I had never experienced anything like this before. I asked  Uncle Billy a million questions about the boy but he told me that he knew as little as I did and we were all about to find out.
 I couldn't believe how casual the situation seemed to be and how calm Uncle Billy was. 
As we were on our way to pick him up it really hit me what an incredible and necessary place the Happy House is and how lucky the children are to have the most dedicated and caring 'uncle' to look after them.

Selina

When the old lady with the child arrived at the centre,  Uncle Billy was inside talking to a member of staff.
 She came and sat down next to me, the disorientated little baby tied on to her back, and she spoke in Swahili about how furious she was that she had been left with Moses and how she was struggling to feed him. 
She was then called into the office, was asked a few questions and then just handed the baby over.
I was amazed how willingly he went to Uncle Billy and how the woman just left with no goodbye or any display of emotion towards the baby.
 Understandably, she was furious that she had been left to care for this child when she could barely care for herself, and was relieved to rid herself of the burden however she clearly cared about the child, to have looked after him so well for as long as she did. 
Having arrived with feelings of disbelief and anger towards the mother who had been prepared to abandon her child, the only thing that I felt when I left was sympathy and sadness. 
Having had some time to think, I saw the situation differently. The fact that she had taken the baby to someone, particularly an elderly lady - someone she knew would care - shows that she loved the child and this was probably an act out of desperation rather than anything else. He could have been dumped on a rubbish tip with a very slim chance of survival like other children have been. 
Although an incredibly sad situation, it was an amazing thing to experience, especially as I knew what a good home Moses would be going to and how his life was about to change for the best. 
He was so good-natured and just sat peacefully on my knee the whole way home, making noises and looking around. When we got back, the children were all so excited and gave him a very warm welcome.
 I felt happy and comforted leaving the Happy House knowing that he was in the best possible hands. ''