School build forges ahead

Teachers look round

With the new school year beginning in less than a week,  all the stops are being pulled out to get Happy House school ready for start of term.
As you will know, we had to take the decision to move the school on to a new site, already earmarked for our secondary school, to ensure we complied with a change of regulations for the education of children living in children's homes.
The rules, which surfaced when we started the procedure to renew our registration, require children to attend school outside the confines of a home.
In just a matter of weeks, our Little Chicks nursery school has been demolished and rebuilt, using as much of the salvaged materials as possible, on the new site. It is now nearing completion.
The primary school, a complete new build, may not be ready by the start of term but it will not be far behind and, in the meantime, the existing classrooms will be used. As soon as the school is finished, those classes will also transfer and the vacant rooms will be put to use to take more children, in desperate need of a safe home, into our family.
Carlos, our builder, has been managing the construction work under the watchful eye of Mama Sue and Papa Dave.

Little Chicks, almost complete

Papa has been negotiating for materials in order to get the best prices possible.
The build has also been a bonus to the local community, with so many people are out of work because of the huge slump in tourism, as it has employed up to 60 men and women on the site.
Mama said: "We took the teachers to the school this (Monday) morning ,they loved it !! The inside is now being painted the galana pathway around it just about finished pointing.
"We are now planning the move."
The kids  are so excited too, They can't wait to go out to school every day.
What a happy sight it will be as they all leave in the mornings and come home in the afternoons.

Volunteer Susan James with primary school backdrop

The only drawback is the huge financial setback. It is a something we could not have anticipated and will use up money we had as a contingency fund -  vital when running an undertaking as big as the Happy House which has so many young lives depending on it.
But it was the only course of action we could take, and in the long term the most cost effective, so we hold on to our hope that because it is right for our family, the money will come.
If you would like to make a donation please go to:http://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate
Or if you  know of any trusts or organisations that might consider making a grant to Happy House, please get in touch.