Beer money bonus from Pete

It's a tough sacrifice, but Pete Ward is turning his back on beer for  29 days of this month!
And while he's off alcohol of any kind, he raising a glass of ginger beer to raising money for the Happy House instead.
Pete and his wife have long been friends of our family and are in our Oscar's sponsor family - indeed they named the younger of their two boys, Dylan and Oscar, after their little Kenyan kid.
Pete's no-beer challenge is his alternative to the ice-bucket challenge, and he is appealing to his friends to support him by making a donation to Happy House, or, maybe, to consider joining our amazing sponsor family.
He has pledged £4 a day extra  to Happy House this month, plus a one-off payment of £10 for each child sponsorship taken out by his friends.
Pete, from Nottingham, says: "Whilst the world (the part where water is in plentiful supply) is throwing buckets of water over themselves to show that they give to charity, I have decided to have September off the beer (excluding the 12th because on an annual pub crawl!!).
" I donate to Happy House each and every month to sponsor a child and contribute to their upbringing and development. 
"This month I will contribute an additional £4 each day plus a further £30 for the day of the pub crawl equating to an additional £150.
"Anybody who would like to give money towards the charity can do so by following this link:https://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate/ "
Pete is pictured celebrating his August birthday with a cocktail, and again, this weekend, supping a totally alcohol-free ginger beer.

Key link

 Happy House was very pleased to welcome social workers and representatives from other children's homes when it hosted a meeting of the Network.

Uncle Billy reports: " This was,as always, very informative.

" We discuss the  strengths ,weaknesses,opportunities and threats that might relate to our day to day work in serving our children.

"Amongst the items in the agenda was a reviewing of the kids forum at the south coast where Mercy and Sifa were our flag bearers

"It was a successful trip which gave all the children valuable experience.

"The next meeting is on September  25.at St. Michael's children's centre in Malindi."

Happy helper - by Jane

Jane, this week's junior blogger, likes to be helpful.

In the kitchen we have  two uncles.

That is Uncle Baya and Uncle Jophsat.

They are good uncles they cook for us good food.

When we eat we feel nice and l love them.

Every Saturday and Sunday we help them to wash utensils.

And we help them to clean in the kitchen and wash the floor. 

We are happy to help them because when we grow up we will be able to do the work. 

Thank you very much

from Jane 

Bags tour rolls on ...

Our Happy House Bags on Tour! summer Facebook fun photo competition has seen our bags-for-life go global since we launched it in July.
In that time our bags have popped up all over the world - from the  USA, Canada, Peru, Australia and Mexico to  Bulgaria and Blackpool!
The original closing date of September 1 has been extended to September 30 as some mentioned that they were taking their holidays this month and would like a chance to join in.
But you don't have to be on your holidays, the winning picture could just as easily be snapped on your doorstep. 
It's the picture that most catches the judge's eye that will win the £20 Amazon Gift Voucher that we have donated as the prize. 
Pictures can be posted on our Faceook competition page:https://www.facebook.com/events/1512611962287809/ or emailed with a  short caption and your name to Elizabeth Gomm who will post them there for you elizabethgomm@childrenofwatamu.net
Our bags are £5 each from Aladdin'z Cave, Clifton Street, Lytham, or Grace&Favour, Marsh Mill Village, Thornton, or by mail order (from tomorrow as our bag fairy will then be back from a short break)  £5 (plus  75p UK postage)  from http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/reusable-cotton-shopping-beach-bag-children-of-watamu-happy-house-131239775.htm 
Postage to other countries will be charged at Royal Mail rates and we have fulfilled orders to delighted customers in  USA and mainland Europe.
HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS?
We are in the process of updating all our records and need your help?
If you sponsor a Happy House child and have changed your postal or email address since taking out your sponsorship please send details, urgently, to rosep@childrenofwatamu.net  Thank you.

Lesson for Simon

Volunteer Simon Davies has soon settled into life at the Happy House and is proving a class act in school.
Simon, who grew up in Blackpool but now lives and works in Edinburgh, has been assisting teachers and is pictured here taking pupils for some start of term maths revision,
And is looks like it's adding up to an interesting lesson.
Thanks Simon for being a much-needed extra pair of hands.
If you would like to know more about volunteering at Happy House please visit: http://www.childrenofwatamu.net/volunteer

From plot to pot!

More maize has been harvested from our "Field of Dreams" this week with some very eager young people to gather it in.
And it was turned into a delicious meal called Githeri which is a mixture of maize and beans which was
enjoyed by all our kids (Baraka and Alex are pictured tucking in).
Highly nutritious Githeri is one of the staple foods in Kenya and is basically a stew seasoned with cumin, chilli and turmeric.

School Report: Final term starts

It is back to school for our children this week as they start the final term of the Kenyan school year.
Everyone is settling in, refreshed after the holidays, and getting down to work.
In the library, where lesson are always popular, classes spend time gaining an interest in reading by borrowing and returning different titles.
Our picture shows Kg 1 class inside the library reading and  describing a book, by the title, Lucky the Goat.