The young mother stared ahead, expressionless, as the twin boys tugged hungrily at her empty breasts.
With no milk to feed her babies, and no money to buy any, there was nothing she could do to feed her babies.
Naked from the waist down, the two naked boys struggled fretfully. As one started to wee his urine ran down his mother's clothes but, again, she was unmoved, not seeming to notice.
This girl, aged just 19, echoes the story of so many other women in Kenya. A single mother, deserted by the father, defeated by the poverty and circumstance in which she lives. There is no benefits system. If you cannot work, and work is very, very hard to find, you cannot eat. That is the truth that can and does cost lives.
This tragic picture was the one which greeted Mama Sue and Uncle Billy when they were called to by a local woman, respected and kind , who works as a volunteer helping families in the area. We call her the Volunteer Mama.
Sue tells the story: "We met her at place called Msabaha. We drove off the main road into the interior, until we came to a small village, where we saw this very young girl and her babies.
The mum Sauda is 19 years twins are called Amani, Swahili for Peace, & Baraka , which means Blessings. They were born on June 16 . They were wearing filthy t-shirts, nothing else. As they
passed water it just ran on to their mother's clothes, she didn't seem to notice.
passed water it just ran on to their mother's clothes, she didn't seem to notice.
As Uncle Billy talked to the family, we were told that Sauda is the eighth born out of 15. Her own mother , whose husband has disappeared, was there and they are all living with Sauda's grandmother living in a mud & wattle hut.
They have no means of support at all, there are no government benefits, no family allowance, if you have nothing it really is nothing.
For a while Sauda has known her children were starving so the Volunteer Mama was called who in turn called Uncle Billy.
For a while Sauda has known her children were starving so the Volunteer Mama was called who in turn called Uncle Billy.
As were taking all the details of the family, and getting the twins dressed for their new home, the mum just looked on but we realized one of the children stood watching us.
Alex, is two and a half, and is also Sauda's son. He, too, was crying with hunger.
We bought milk ad biscuits from a local kiosk so at least they would all have eaten something before we started our journey back to the Happy House.
Ten or so other children, all in a desperate state, stood watching so we bought milk for everyone, they drank it greedily , everyone a victim of extreme hunger.
I wished I collect them all and take them back with me. Billy and I looked at Alex, and looked back at each other, we could not leave him there.
So he and his baby brothers are now Happy House kids.
With our precious cargo we travelled on into the slums of Malindi to find Melis, she is an orphan who living with a very old grandmother unable to cope with the two year old. A
neighbour had said she would look out for Melis, but she was running a Mnazi
house - an area which sells palm wine, a potent (almost pure alcohol) drink made from the fermented sap of coconut palm. It was a place where drinkers, mostly men, were congregated and no place for a small child. We took some details and left with
Melis. A beautiful and pleasant child.
It was a day of mixed emotions for both myself and Billy. To take children from their mother is so very hard to do and for me to understand.
neighbour had said she would look out for Melis, but she was running a Mnazi
house - an area which sells palm wine, a potent (almost pure alcohol) drink made from the fermented sap of coconut palm. It was a place where drinkers, mostly men, were congregated and no place for a small child. We took some details and left with
Melis. A beautiful and pleasant child.
It was a day of mixed emotions for both myself and Billy. To take children from their mother is so very hard to do and for me to understand.
We know we are doing it in the best interests of the children, but how can a mum just sit and watch her children being taken by strangers without showing any emotion at all?
Billy and I have the same conversation every time we rescue children from the dire extremes of poverty. Billy always says, the mum knows she is doing thee right thing for the children, without help they would, in time, starve to death.
Back home, our Happy House kids come in from school to find they have three new brothers and a sister. They are thrilled, everyone gathering to make our new family members welcome.
It was all a bit too much for Alex, but Melis settled in straight away playing with the girls.
Alex, given love and time, and there is no shortage of either, will soon come round and he, too, will find his feet in our family.
That's the Happy House magic. We know it works!"
