There's been some hammering in the background of some of our videos this week, but the whole idea is to give you a glimpse of Happy House as it really is - hammers and all! We can't stop people from working to make a video, so we do hope a little bit of noise won't stop your enjoyment. Today, you meet the man who wields the hammer, Uncle Charo, our excellent joiner. He's a craftsman who insists every job is done to top specifications. He uses locally sourced materials and fashions them into whatever is need from window frames to school desks and chairs, This week he's been installing ceilings in the girls bedrooms in an additional effort to keep insects at bay. In our video he is introduced by Uncle Ronald. We always love to hear from you so if you have any comments to make please email sue@childrenofwatamu.net
Our lovely Lily is our guest on the blog the today! She joined the Happy House in 2010 with her older brother Samson and younger sister Pendo. They were living in poverty with their grandmum, who was unable to cope with the demands of three small children. Their mum, recently widowed, was too poorly to look after them and the family breadwinner was no longer there. Since then they have, with our love and help, been reunited with their mum and were repatriated for a while. For now they are back at Happy House and thriving, they remain in contact and are able to go on home visits. We love receiving your emails so if you would like to comment on the blog please email:sue@childrenofwatamu.net
Thank you Devonshire School
Elizabeth Gomm. our UK coordinator and Auntie Libz to the Happy House, was delighted to be back at Devonshire School, Blackpool, this week.
She had been invited to do an assembly, always a joy, to tell the children the news of their sponsor child Brian
The school has sponsored Brian since he came our family as a tiny baby and successive generations of children at the school are growing up knowing him as if he were one of them
The children, even the smallest, listened intently and it was so quiet you could almost hear a pin drop!
They are holding a fundraising day to day for Happy House and being reminded about Brian has given them added enthusiasm
Thank you to Mrs Liz Heaney , our link with the school, and to all the children and staff for making Auntie Libz so welcome and for your continued love and support for Brian.
Mrs Heaney is pictured with the headboy and headgirl and Lily who tried on a traditional Kenyan kanga and jewellery.
Uncle Ronald is a familiar name to all those friends who sponsor a Happy House kid. He is our social worker, much loved by our children. He is responsible for overseeing their general welfare, liasing with Children's Services and other professionals, staying in touch with relatives of children and those kids repatriated into families, sourcing birth certificates (which can be a real problem!) and countless othe matters that arise withs ucha large family. Importantly, he ensures our children really know those who sponsor them. Uncle Ronnie goes through every letter or email sent by a sponsor with the child concerned and explains anything they may not understand. He takes the pictures and sends the replies, written with the child. Ronnie is efficientn compassionate and enthusiastic - all the right ingredients for a social worker. On today's video you can et to know him a little better. We love receiving your emails so if you would like to comment on the blog please email: sue@childrenofwatamu.net
Today we introduce you to Mama Sue's right hand woman, Auntie Rose, administrator at Happy House . Rose was just a young girl when she met Mama who was then embarking on her charity work in the Watamu area of Kenya in 2000. Mama's encouragement helped Rose to develop her career and when Mama opened her Happy House eight years ago Rose started work there. Since then, with Mama's guidance, she has has continued to blossom into a highly skilled, driven and efficient administrator. She is also a much loved member of the Happy house family. In a world where women can still get a raw deal in the jobs market, Mama and Auntie Rose are showing girls it shouldn't be that way. That if they have the skill, the talent, and the desire they can succeed in any field they choose. Auntie Rose, now married with two young daughters, is an excellent role model for girls growing up in our family. Auntie Rose has Mama to thank for seeing her potential and for helping her to realise it. They are much more than employee and boss - they are friends, true and trusted, always. We love receiving your emails so if you would like to comment on this or any of our blogs please email: sue@childrenofwatamu.net
Today we are introducing an exciting new series of videos, bringing the Happy House to YOU!
Over the coming days you will meet the people you receive emails from and read about on the blog.
They will come to life as they tell you a little about themselves. Our aim to bring members of our family, those who are in Kenya and those who support us all around the world, closer together.
First up an introduction from our inspirational Mama Sue, who founded our charity and who with her beloved husband, Papa Dave, devotes her life to running it.
With the rains come the insects and the parasites and this year they have been more of a problem than ever.
Mama Sue writes:
Today myself, Papa, Aunty Millicent and Musyoka, took Lucky, Sudi, Abu and Fatuma back to the dermatologist in Malindi.
All the children have had ongoing skin problems, now, thankfully, well and truly on the mend.
One of the conditions was contagious, even just shaking hands can spread it from one to another.
Lots of children at school have also had this painful condition.
But with vigilance, the right treatment, and care all are on the mend. Keeping the infestations and invaders out is an ongoing process.
We have tried many different methods in the bedrooms of controlling the insects, the one we have found most effective is a chemical called Gladiator. It is made into a solution with water, the floors are then sprayed as are the corners of the walls and windows.
The doors and windows are closed for one hour, the rooms then well ventilated before bedtime.
In the girls bedrooms they are open up to the makuti
roofing.
We are now having to put ceilings in every room and in the bathroom as we to control the influx of insects,
It is costing £1,100 but is worth every shilling to protect our children, from disease and infections.
Hello. I hope you are doing well. My name is Mwende. I live at Hapy house with my Mama and Papa. I am in class four. I like learning, specially maths, English and Kswahili. When I grow up I would like to be a teacher and to teach pupils well. I have two brothers, Musyoka and Francis. They are older than me. We all live at Happy House.
