Donations from friends in America, Canada and England, have bought so much to Happy House. Amanda and Mark Barron's wonderful friends gave enough to buy two weeks shopping - groceries and other essentials. Here Amanda and Mark, their children Phoebe and Olivia, and our Happy House kids say thank you to their friends.
Sponsoring a child at Happy House gives hope, opportunity, security, and love. Those who join the sponsor family of one of our children will open a window on a world beyond the Happy House and Kenya. Their child will also know that he or she has friends who care beyond the Happy House, so important to youngsters who have been through so much. Here Amanda Barron, visiting from the UK, is with Erick and baby Victor, who are sponsored by her friends, telling them just how their help is making a difference. To find out more about sponsorship contact our UK coordinator Elizabeth Gomm - elizabethgomm@childrenofwatamu.net
Mark and Amanda and their daughters Phoebe and Olivia were honoured guests at Happy House School assembly where they heard, in the words of three scholarship students, Sakina, Teddy and Nasri, just how much they had gained since being offered free places in our school. They also thanked Mark and Amanda for their contribution to the school by providing a fully equipped computer suite, together with internet access, and for the additional toilet facilities at the school. Sakina welcome our guests and told them that Happy House was a community of caring and educated people. She thaked them for the computer room which was enhancing education and thanked Mama and papa for all they do. She told Amanda, Mark, Phoebe and Olivia that she wished they did not have to go home and could stay forever. Teddy (top picture) explained how much having such a well resourced computer suite meant to the students giving them access to digitalisation and the worldwide web. Nasri (below left) spoke of his gratitude to Mama and Papa for creating the Happy House and for making it so special, and for giving him opportunity as a scholarship student. He said that there was no doubt that Happy House School was the best in the region thanks to Mama and Papa and those who support their work Amanda said they believed all children had a right to education and that education in the developing world should be equal with that her own children were receiving in the UK. She told the students that education opened the door to good careers both nationally and internationally.Amanda thanked charity founder and director, Mama Sue and her husband Papa Dave and the school family for welcoming them as part of it.
BUS APPEAL We have launched an appeal to raise £25,000 to buy a newer bus to replace our 20 year-old bus which is used to transport pupils, mostly on free place scholarships, into Happy House School. Without our help, these youngsters from impoverished backgrounds would not have the education or opportunity to go on to careers that will lift them out of the poverty and give them a chance to make a real impact on their community and their country. Our bus, whilst safe, is becoming more unreliable and often in for repair and becoming a drain on resources. To donate https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/buyabus
For the Barron family visiting Happy House School, seeing how their support is helping and meeting the young people whose lives are being transformed by education was memorable and moving. Mark and Amanda and their daughters Phoebe and Olivia were honoured guests at school assembly where they heard, in the words of three scholarship students, Sakina, Teddy and Nasri, just how much they had gained since being offered free places in our school. They also thanked Mark and Amanda for their contribution to the school by providing a fully equipped computer suite, together with internet access. Amanda thanked charity founder and director, Mama Sue and her husband Papa Dave and the school family for welcoming them as part of it. Amanda said they believed all children had a right to education and that education in the developing world should be equal to that her own children were receiving in the UK. She told the students that education opened the door to good careers both nationally and internationally. *The Barron family pictured with Mama Sue and Papa Dave in the computer suite. *Teddy, Nasri and Sakina's tributes will be featured on tomorrow's blog.
BUS APPEAL We have launched an appeal to raise £25,000 to buy a newer bus to replace our 20 year-old bus which is used to transport pupils, mostly on free place scholarships, into Happy House School. Without our help, these youngsters from impoverished backgrounds would not have the education or opportunity to go on to careers that will lift them out of the poverty and give them a chance to make a real impact on their community and their country. Our bus, whilst safe, is becoming more unreliable and often in for repair and becoming a drain on resources. To donatehttps://www.justgiving.com/campaign/buyabus
Mama Sue and Papa Dave introduced apple bobbing to our Happy House family a few years ago and they absolutely love it. Apples are an expensive fruit in Kenya and a real treat, so put apples and a bobbing into water to fish them out in the same basket and you have the perfect ingredient for a fun time. Our family was thrilled when our visitors Mark, Amanda, Olivia and Phoebe Barron joined them to test their skills at fishing out a fruit. There was, of course, enough for everyone to have one!
No sooner had they arrived at Happy House than our visitors were roped into taking part in a test if strength! Amanda and Mark Barron and their daughters Phoebe and Olivia were more than happy to accept an invitation from our kids to take part in a tug of war. Despite the intense heat they gave it their all with Mark pulling on the boys side and Amanda, Phoebe and Olivia adding their muscle to the girls team. They were also treated to a display of acrobatics by our kids.
There was a musical hello waiting for our friends Mark and Amanda Barron and their daughters Phoebe and Olivia when Papa Dave drove them through the gates of Happy House. After waiting so long, the moment was here. The Happy House and its children no longer pictures on a page, or in a video, but for real. The kids singing at the top of their voices to greet our lovely guests. There's nothing quite so magical and so heartwarming as a welcome from our family. It comes full of warmth, full of love and full of excitement. The children and our staff already know from Mama and Papa how the friendship and generosity of the Barron family has brought them so much. It was they who gifted our computer suite and all its equipment, and who have been members of our sponsor family for so long. Now it is our time to show them just how their kindness is making a difference and to share with them our family love and friendship.
Amanda and Mark Barron's wonderful friends gave enough to buy two weeks shopping - groceries and other essentials.
Sakina welcome our guests and told them that Happy House was a community of caring and educated people.
Mama Sue and Papa Dave introduced apple bobbing to our Happy House family a few years ago and they absolutely love it.
Apples are an expensive fruit in Kenya and a real treat, so put apples and a bobbing into water to fish them out in the same basket and you have the perfect ingredient for a fun time.
No sooner had they arrived at Happy House than our visitors were roped into taking part in a test if strength!
Despite the intense heat they gave it their all with Mark pulling on the boys side and Amanda, Phoebe and Olivia adding their muscle to the girls team.