Twin girls bring our family to 71

The arrival of two beautiful baby girls yesterday has made us a family of 71 children.

Deborah and Florence, twin girls of just a few months old, are in need of a loving home as their single mother, has six other children, including another set of twins, and is struggling to cope.

As Uncle Billy is on leave, our administrator Auntie Rose and head housemum, Auntie Prescha, went on a mercy mission to collect the babies and bring them home to the Happy House.

They are our second set of girl twins - Pendo and Saumu were the first, plus we have three sets of twin boys, Baraka and Amani, Peter and Paul and James and Jonathan!  
Please share this news with your friends, we are always looking for more support and for more people to join our sponsor family which is providing a safe and happy place for children, like these vulnerable babies. It costs 65p (less than a can of Coke) a day, £20 a month to sponsor a Happy House child, if you would liek to know more visit www.childrenofwatamu.net or email elizabethgomm@childrenofwatamu.net

Amani's milestone and Poulton Rotary

Look who is our Star of the Week!
It's Amani, two in June, who is now walking on his own.
And the clever little boy not only received a certificate to mark his landmark achievement, he also got a big round of applause from his brothers and sisters and all the family.
Special achievements are always celebrated.
Twin Amani  is pictured proudly receiving his certificate from gardener Uncle Chris at Kidz Club
Poulton Rotary
Mama Sue and Elizabeth were guest speakers at a meeting of Poulton le Fylde Rotary Club at Singleton Lodge Hotel last night.

Club members gave a warm welcome to their guests and showed a great deal of interest in the Happy House family. They were clearly inspired by Mama's tireless efforts to build a better world for her children. 
 We are very grateful to Roger Critchley, president, and members for the reception we received and hope that they may support the Happy House in the future.

Twins get a visitor

Twins Peter and Paul had a very unexpected visit - from their father.
It is the first time since they came to our family, from circumstances of abject poverty, that he has seen them.
He told Uncle Billy that after he had separated from their mother, who had other older children from another failed marriage, he went to live in Mombasa where he deals in selling charcoal on a small scale.
He was pleased to see his sons thriving in our care and said he would keep in touch from now on.
Needed urgently...
Head housemum Auntie Prescha has told Mama that lightweight pyjamas are needed for our boys and girls, who are aged from one to 16.
Other items required at this time, on top of those mentioned in yesterday's blog, are whiteboard markers and pencils.
If you would like to bring something along to the charity night on Saturday for our children the items in this and yesterday are the "most wanted and most needed" items. There will be a collection point and then we will get them out to the family.
Thank you, as always, for your love and kindness.

A smiling Charity .. and Charity Night latest

Our Charity used to be more than a little economical with her smiles ...
As  baby she was a very serious little girl, not any more.
Now she's all smiles, and a postcard from her Auntie Brenda and Uncle Red has given her more reason than ever to smile.
Brenda and Red Groves, who are in Charity's sponsor family, live in Oxfordshire but sent her greetings from Port Isaac when they were visiting Cornwall.
In a couple of weeks time they will be visiting the Happy House and experiencing that beaming smile for themselves.
Charity Night 
It's only a few days until our Charity Night and Third Birthday Party and we're getting pretty excited.
There's lots to do between now and then, but it's going to be a fun night and Mama and Papa are so looking forward to seeing you all.
It's taking place at Blackpool's Hotel Sheraton on Saturday (from 7pm) and if you haven't yet got your ticket, we do have some still to sell. They are £15 each from sue@childrenofwatamu.net 
Friends who are travelling from all over the UK to be with us on Saturday have been asking if there is anything they can bring for our children.
As Mama and Papa are going home after the charity night  to celebrate Papa's 70th birthday with the family, there are things they would like to take.
These include good quality pencils (not crayons).
Seeds for the garden (sweetcorn, tomatoes, lettuce, okra, aubergine, peppers, cabbage, spinach, green beans sweet melon, sunflowers etc.)
White cotton ankle socks,  girls' knickers and boys underpants are always needed as are more soft-covered books and dvds for our library.
Mama and Auntie Libby are planning to show the kids how to decorate Easter bonnets (the hats have been donated) but we do need trimmings, so any ribbons, rabbits etc you may have would be very welcome.

Thank you Rotary

 The closing day of the Rotary District 1190 Conference brought us yet more friends and sponsors for our Happy House kids.
There was a steady flow of visitors to our stand throughout the final morning of the three-day gathering in Scarborough.  Rotarians and guests who had heard Mama speak so movingly about her children yesterday were eager to congratulate her on her achievements and to find out more.
Rotarians are a worldwide community, concentrating on serving communities locally and internationally, and by being in Scarborough Mama, Papa and Elizabeth have raised the profile of our charity and our Happy House with people who truly can, if they wish, make a difference.

Thank you to District Governor David Simpson, of Fleetwood Rotary, for inviting us to have a stand and for inviting Mama to be a speaker and to Rotary fior giving her such a wonderful reception. Also many thanks to Fleetwood members, acting as stewards, who looked after us so well.
And a special mention to to neighbouring standholders who were so nice and who showed such an interest in our own charity, whilst working so hard for their own.
Pictures: Sue with a Rotakids poster for the Happy House courtesy of Sandra Foulkes and Gordon Oates of Fleetwood Rotary. Top right: Margaret Clarke draws the winning ticket for our raffle and left, Mama, Papa and Elizabeth with neighbouring standholders Margaret and Paul Clarke representing Sightsavers and Pattie Grimshaw and her mum from Help Bali.
Countdown 
With our annual charity night and third birthday party on Saturday at the Hotel Sheraton, Blackpool, we still have a few tickets on sale. We have to confirm numbers soon so if you do want to come and join us, and we really hope you will, please email Mama for your tickets (£15 each): sue@childrenofwatamu.net

Rotarians feel the love, Rukia gets busy and, today, in Milan ...

When a Mama talks about her children you should be able to feel the love ... and hundreds of Rotarians were, yesterday,  left in no doubt of how much our Mama Sue loves her Happy House kids.
As Mama addressed the Lancashire and Cumbria District 1190 Rotary Conference the atmosphere changed as the assembly listened intently and opened their hearts to our children.
When Mama stepped on to the stage to tell them a little about her road to the Happy House and introduced them,with so much affection, to our amazing family, there was laughter and tears.
Men and women in the audience, who have heard so many speakers and supported so many good causes by being a part of  Rotary's International community, were very clearly moved by the woman addressing them from the stage, and by the pictures of our children and their home being played on the big screen.
These were real little people whose real little lives have been saved and transformed, children have been given hope and opportunity, because the woman they now call Mama saw their need and refused to walk away.
Mama, introduced by District Governor David Simpson as "inspirational", lived up to the description and inspired.

We hope Rotarians will not only have been inspired but also motivated  to help Mama to grow her kids and to grow the Happy House so that it may help many, many, more children to have a better life over many years to come.
The charity she founded is just a small fish in pool of charities, and yet it is making huge differences, and gives true value for money to those who work so hard to support it. They know for certain that every single penny they raise will  where they intended - to supporting the Happy House family.
Because of Mama Sue's drive, sheer determination and courage children who have come from the scrapheap of life have a real chance to succeed and, just like Mama, to change the world around them . 
Support from Rotarians would enable Mama Sue to make an even bigger difference.
When she finished speaking it was to a huge round of applause which was repeated enthusiastically at the request of the District Governor.
From that time on, the Happy House stand was buzzing, as Rotarians made a beeline to congratulate Mama and to find out more about her work.
She was proud and privileged to be invited here to their Scarborough conference, and accepted in the hope it would bring the Happy House family new friends.
We are certain from the wonderful reaction that Mama, Papa and Elizabeth have received here in Scarborough that it has done just that and we now forward to get to know our new friends better ... and, we hope, to working together for our kids.

Poll and polish... by Rukia

Today, it's Rukia's turn to take over the kids' weekly slot on the blog and she wants to tell you what she's been doing while her country has been voting for a new leader.

"This is Rukia here.
Last week, on Wednesday, the teachers told us that we are having elections in Kenya so that is why we are having half term break and were resuming school on Monday, March 11.
During this time I was helping in the kitchen.
Washing the utensils
"Swiping" the kitchen.
I like to help and make it fun.''

Today in Milan

We are wishing our lovely friend Piera Lauria a very successful Sunday with her Happy House lunch and cabaret at Milan's Caffe Teatro today.

Piera who, with Oscar and their son Mattia, visited the Happy House whilst on holiday two years ago, has been doing much to support us ever since.

And we are thrilled that she and her family will be back to see us later this month.

Piera, who describes FUNDRAISING as her "new activity" raised 900 euro during the worst of winter by selling comforting  bags of heartwarming chocolate to friends and colleagues, helped by her own friend Elena.

Elena is helping her to organise  today's family lunch and among the goodies they will have to sell are jars of candy Easter eggs. 

Thank you Piera and Elena for pulling out all the stops to make life brighter for our children.

We do love to be beside the sea...

A wet and windy Scarborough did nothing to dampen the spirits of the opening day of Lancashire and Cumbria District 1190 Rotary conference at the Spa Centre, yesterday.

Mama Sue, Papa Dave and Elizabeth spent the whole day doing what they love - talking about our Happy House kids.

And the Rotarians to visited our Happy House stand were eager to know more, with several promising to invite Mama and Elizabeth to speak to their clubs including Barrow, Workington and Lytham.

District Governor David Simpson of Fleetwood Rotary, who had invited us to attend, called in on our stand to wish us well.

Mama is on the platform this morning when she will be telling the assembly about the wonderful family she has created.

It's a great opportunity for us to make many more friends and , hopefully, could lead to some help with funding in the future.

What we are doing here in Scarborough, is putting the Happy House on the Rotary map .

Sandra and Derrick Foulkes are being great hosts making sure we have everything we need whilst at the conference.

 Those on other stands nearby are also are really friendly and keen to hear more about Mama's story and so when there is a lull we are enjoying  getting to know each other.
Pictures: Mama and Elizabeth with the Happy House stand; Mama with district governor David Simpson, Mama and Papa with Roger and Margaret Mason - Roger will be District Governor in two years tome and Elizabeth raises her hat to Rotary with host Derrick Foulkes!