Photography expedition

Mama and Papa are doing all they can to broaden the horizons of the children who have not been outside the Happy House grounds since lockdown began in March.
In the last week some have been going out jogging, staying on the quiet tracks close to home. 
She and Papa invited some of the Classes 1 and 2, plus the KG children, to visit them at home, transporting them to Turtle Bay.
The children took android tablets so they could take photographs in the garden, which is awash with flowers. They were also looking for butterflies and birds.
Papa cooked sausages and bought juice as a treat for them.
Mama said:"They loved their photography outing. Back at Happy House we showed their pictures on the big screen TV. They were all very happy."
The pictures here were taken by the children and, in our video, Esther tells us about their trip.

Sharing knowledge

Christone, Mr Chris to our Happy House students, has been teaching some of our older children and teachers how to use video communications app Zoom. Evans who made the video is one of the young people to benefit from widening his knowledge of this form of holding everything from family gathering to Parliamentary sittings on the web during the Covid19 Pandemic. He said: "Mr Chris is a good help to the family in terms of technology. He is always ready to help whenever he is needed. He deals with the computers and he led a lesson with the teachers and the kids on Zoom. "He has taught a few and the a few will teach other few until the the whole Happy House family will know how to use it. "We are a caring and a loving family so what one knows he /she should teach the rest of the family. That is our Happy House way."

Teaching and learning

 Yesterday, our blog was about Nasri and how Happy House has changed his life.
Today we hear from Michael who is also achieving in life because Happy House gave him a chance. Now, because of the pandemic, his final year at secondary school is likely to be extended as schools in Kenya remain closed. So Mama Sue has given him the opportunity to help our youngsters with their home learning, whilst also being able to revise and keep up with his own studies.

A life transformed

Former scholarship student, Nasri, is assisting with home schooling during lockdown.

He was one the first students on our scholarship scheme launched in 2014.

Then he was living with his grandmother in her home.They had very little.
He was shy and lacking in self-belief.and had huge gaps in his schooling because there was no money to pay. He had been forced to have long periods out of class - the one place he wanted to be.
He was one of our first Class 8 Primary kids to take the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education which he passed with flying colours and has since completed his secondary schooling and is studying at university.

Since  lockdown started he has been working with our children at Happy House who are learning at home.

He is grateful for all the support and opportunity that Happy House has, and is, giving him.

School stays out

With schools in Kenya likely to remain closed for the rest of the year, children in our family at Happy House will continue with a full programme of home learning. They being taught by Skype, using the internet the best way we can and Zoom also coming into play. Lessons also harness as many teaching resources as we can find on the internet making learning much more interesting than just using text books. Mama Sue wants to continue this when the children eventually go back to class when our school can reopen. She has received some donations which will help towards each classroom in school having a Smart TV and that one she has been able to buy is now in use in class a home - but will move to school when it reopens.

Keeping safe

Happy House has installed new equipment to make it easier for children, staff and essential visitors to wash their hands. As countries around the world emerge from lockdowns, enforced following the outbreak of the Coronavirus Covid19 pandemic, they are adjusting to a new kind of normal.
But the threat of the virus still looms large over lives, and the need to stay safe and to maintain social distancing and hand-washing is still vital. As Rukia tells us, at Happy House they are taking no chances.

Broadening horizons

After months in lockdown some of our children are venturing out of the Happy House to go jogging. We are in a very quiet and safe area so they a staying safe and not in any danger of contracting Covid19. Mama Sue thought it would now be safe for them to broaden their horizons after weeks of being confined to our grounds - and she loves them too much to put them at any risk. Our video features three youngsters - Mwende, Florence and Brian.