Tictac travel time

 The novelty of adopting a tiny tic tac for the Easter  holidays has been a big hit with staff and students at  Aidan’s Church of England Technology  in Preesall, Lancashire.
By spending 50p each on buying a tic tac which they will take on their Easter travels and treats, they've netted a sweet £80 for Happy House -enough to buy two new beds.
Teacher Joanne Rossall, whose form sponsors Linus, has been selling the tic tacs and promised a prize for person photographed with their tic tac in the most unusual location.
Joanne is thrilled that the tic tacs have been such a success and we are all looking forward to seeing the pictures the students come up with and featuring the winner here on the blog.

Thank you St Aidan's, you have come up trumps for our family once again.

Pictured above left:  The tic tac selling team: Jack Alcock, Emma Taylor, Annie Entwistle-Frain, Cameron Redfern, Yasmin Lewtas Heyhurst, Maddie Porter, Tom Holden and Amy Shuttleworth.

Above: Mrs Altham's class with her tictac, Jeremy, ready for his adventures. 

Right: Geek! A tic tac gets into science.

Buy a Bed Appeal

In just two weeks you, our friends, have donated enough money to buy 58  new bed and mattresses for our children.

This is our 5th birthday appeal, as after five years of continuous use, most of our beds have reached,or are nearing, the end of their useful lives.

We are making the new beds at the Happy House with locally sourced materials. A new bed costs £25 and a mattress £15, If you would like to donate (and every penny helps) please go to: https://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate/

Making our family movie stars

Our fabulous friend and talented filmmaker Massimilano Zeuli is producing a new video help to raise awareness of the wonderful work being done by Mama, Papa and their Happy House team.

Max, from Rome,  spent several days filming our family at work and play, both at home and in school.

And he involved the children in everything he was doing, with some learning a a lot from him as they acted as his assistants.

This will be the second video Max has made for us, the last was just before Christmas when he was on a flying visit to the area but still managed to find time in his busy schedule to do some hasty filming and to interview Mama.

This time he scheduled more time at the Happy House and we are extremely grateful to him giving both his time and his talent to producing, completely free of charge, a professional video which will be such an asset in promoting our magic to a much wider audience.

Max and his wife, Francesa, are in Abu's sponsor family and in his two visits has become a popular Uncle Max to the kids.

Mama, Papa and the family are looking forward to meeting Francesa when she is able to vist with him.

We are not giving any clues about the content of the new video, but it will be very special indeed.

Thank you Uncle Max for making our family movie stars. You are a shining star in our world!

* If you have not already seen the video made by Max in 2014, or would like to watch it again.. The link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bRXgAy6UXU

Our bedrooms - by Shakila

We are busy making new bedrooms for our older children to give everyone more space.
Junior blogger Shakila writes about the children's bedrooms as they are now:

I am writing a blog about my room.

In Happy House we have several rooms, downstairs and upstairs.  

We have the boys' rooms and the girls' rooms

On the girls' side we have room one the first room Room two the second room and we have room three. the third room.

In in every room there is a room captain and the assistant room captain.  They help the kids who are little.

I sleep in room two, the second room,  and the room captain is Margaret and the assistant is Maria.

I am not a room captain but I help them, we are happy when we help the small kids.

We help the kids in making the room clean, spreading the beds, arranging our lockers 

It is very nice to help. I thank God because Happy House is a nice place.

Rains ... but too few coats for our kids!

Kids in the raincoats we have in store

 When it rains in Watamu, it pours!

Most of the year, sunshine is almost guaranteed,  but this time of year when the rains do come, they can bring some very heavy downpours,

And now, with our children going to our new school a short walk down the lane from the Happy House,  we have found ourselves with a coat crisis!

We have a shortage of waterproofs for the kids.

The very little ones are transported to school in vehicles, but all the older ones love the walk to and from school.

Mama says: " The rains have started now , 

not all the time mostly during the night, and it has just showered now.

" As the kids now go out to school  housemum, Auntie Fatuma has been looking for the raincoats in the store.

 We have some but not enough..

"  We need around 50 for the 4-6 year olds and  another  30 for the 7-15s.

 Not many if you say it quick!"

If anyone would like to help by sending a cagoule or lightweight raincoat for a child, ages four to 15, we would be truly grateful.

The postal address is: Sue Hayward's Happy house, PO Box 796, Watamu. Kenya, East Africa.

Generous guild

Our family made some lovely new friends in Blackpool yesterday.
Elizabeth Gomm went along  Highfield Methodist Church to introduce the church Guild to Mama, Papa and the family through a talk and videos.
As with everyone who hears the story of our Happy House and our Mama's dedication and determination to make it happen, they were inspired and delighted.
They loved seeing how our children now have so much joy in life.
The Guild made a donation of £30 which was raised to £85.15p by donations from members.
Thank you for being so kind and so generous.

Caring with cards

The lovely Angela Hill, an independent Phoenix trader selling gorgeous greeting cards, stationery and gifts direct to the public, is donating 10 per cent of all orders made this month by her fellow members of  the businesswomen's Best Little Network to their two charities - Happy House and Hug in a Bag.
Angela will also give 10% of orders made by any of our Happy House friends to our charity.
If you would like a catalogue or ant to know more please go to https://www.phoenix-trading.co.uk/web/angelahill  or email: ahill.phoenix@yahoo.co.uk and be sure to mention Happy House when you contact Angela.

Margaret and Rukia shine like stars

Margaret

Two Stars of the Week were awarded this week to girls who really make their Mama Sue proud,

Margaret received her award for her consistent good behaviour and Rukia was also a star for her caring and sharing ways.

The girls are role models for the little ones who look up to their elder sisters.

Mama was delighted to present the awards to Margaret and Rukia and congratulated them a hug and a kiss.

After five years of continuous use, many of our beds are the worse for wear, plus we have had a big influx of new arrivals, all needing beds.

It will cost £25 to build a wooden bed, and another £15 for a mattress.

The best of the old beds will be kept for the smaller, lighter, children, but we would like to raise enough money to give each of the older children, who are now too big for narrow bunks,  a single bed of their own.
If you would like to make the Happy House a fifth birthday donation toward buying a bed please donate via JustGiving http://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate - mention bed appeal in your message.

If you prefer to send a cheque (payable to Happy House) post to Elizabeth Gomm at 6 Burwood Drive, Blackpool, FY3 8NS. Thank you.

School report: On the ball

 Madam Milka brings this week's report from Happy House school:
Our students are keeping their school flag flying high on the sportsfield. 
They have been taking part in this term's inter-school ball games at cluster level and sub-zonal level,

Now have now won through to the zonal level with most players selected to go forward in games including netball, football and volleyball.

Those chosen to take part are:

Volleyball, girls Janet Medza,Rasoah Bahati, Margret Kanze
Netball, boys Nasri Juma,Moneni Dennis, Martin Kombe,

Netball ,girls Pendo Charo ,Mercy Karisa ,Mwanasiti Juma.

Football, boys: Juma Charo, Martin Kombe, Kelvin Baraka.

It is our sincere hope that they will make us proud by moving ahead to the next level

Buy a Bed Appeal

After five years of continuous use, many of our beds are the worse for wear, plus we have had a big influx of new arrivals, all needing beds.

It will cost £25 to build a wooden bed, and another £15 for a mattress.

The best of the old beds will be kept for the smaller, lighter, children, but we would like to raise enough money to give each of the older children, who are now too big for narrow bunks,  a single bed of their own.
If you would like to make the Happy House a fifth birthday donation toward buying a bed please donate via JustGiving http://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate - mention bed appeal in your message.

If you prefer to send a cheque (payable to Happy House) post to Elizabeth Gomm at 6 Burwood Drive, Blackpool, FY3 8NS. Thank you.

Bedtime gets better, thanks to you

Bedtime will ever more comfortable for our children thanks to you.

 Last week we launched our Buy a Bed Birthday Appeal with the aim of replacing as many of our existing beds as possible as they are nearing the end of their useful lives.

With more than 100 children in the family, we have to prioritise with the older children, who are bigger and heavier, getting new beds first!

Thanks to your donations, so far, we now have enough money for 53 beds and mattresses.

The beds are being made at the Happy House by our joiner Charo, using wood bought locally.

And was no shortage of eager helpers to unload a delivery of wood.

It was all hands on deck, even the littlies like Mourine  (above right) pitching in to carry a plank.

We are grateful to everyone who has donated.

One generous donor sent a cheque to cover the cost of 25 beds and mattresses and women's business network, Network She, which covers the North West and North Wales, is funding 10 from it's Network She Foundation.

A donation from money raised at Christmas by the talented pupils at Fitzwaryn School, Wantage, all of whom have special needs, will go towards another four beds.

Scott Webster  played golf with 12 friends from South Cerney Golf Club at the weekend  and they decided to pay a fine towards a bed every time their ball landed in a bunker and raised enough to buy a bed!

Mama and the family are thrilled with your response to the appeal, it's a wonderful 5th birthday present for our Happy House,We do  need more. If you would like to make a donation  a complete bed costs £40  (bed frame £25 mattress £15),  every donation, large or small,  will help.  Donate online via this link thttps://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate/ 

Thank you from us all.

 Sweet dreams!

Daniella and Happy go home to family

Daniella

Every child who comes to Happy House is wrapped in the warm embrace of our family.
And they are are loved.
That we will act in the best interests of each individual goes without saying. That has been the sole focus of Mama and her team from the outset.
We place a great importance on maintaining contact with relatives, where it is safe to do so, and to arrange visits when possible.
We are also required, by law, to have an exit plan for every child in our care even though this may not be possible, or practical, in some cases  
If circumstances change and it becomes possible for a child to grow up with relatives who will love and care for them,  Mama and our dedicated social worker, Uncle Billy, will ensure that is what happens and two of our girls have now moved back to be with family.
Daniella, who came to us temporarily in 2011, has gone to her homeland, near Nairobi, to be with an aunt and cousins.
She is overjoyed to be with them. Uncle Billy worked with his counterparts in the children's office here and in local area to ensure that her repatriation went smoothly, and she was accompanied on her journey by a female social worker.
It was sad for Mama, Papa,  and all the family to see her move on, but we are happy for her and will keep in touch with her progress.
Happy was in a sad state when she joined our family, but there has been a huge turnaround in her family circumstances since then, and her mum and brothers have visited her regularly and she has been on home visits, 

Her family has benefited from being a part a national health programme aimed at reducing jiggers infestations which means they now also have much better health prospects,

Her home situation is safe and stable and  Mama, Uncle Billy and children's services have agreed that it is her best interests to return home to live with her family.

Happy will continue to attend school at the Happy House where we will provide her with free education, transport, uniform, meals, books etc  and we will continue to look after her healthcare needs, which can be another big expense to parents.

By continuing to come to Happy House for school,  we will see her every day and can monitor her situation very carefully to ensure it is working for Happy.

 We  truly believe it is in the best interests of Happy and Daniella to be with family they love and they go with our blessing and our love, each knowing they will remain, always, a Happy House kid!

My friend by Janet

Forging new friendships is an important part of school life.
Scholarship student Janet writes our blog today, telling about her best friend who  also has a scholarship in our school:
 I have friend whose name is Mary.  

She  is  a  beautiful  young   lady  and  she  usually  behaves well.

She respects each teacher and pupils in school.

She likes dancing and reading story books.

Her favorite colour is blue and  she   likes  wearing  blue  clothes .

Her  favourite  food  is  rice  and   fish.    
Janet is pictured (right) with Mary,

After five years of continuous use, many of our beds are the worse for wear, plus we have had a big influx of new arrivals, all needing beds. It will cost £25 to build a wooden bed, and another £15 for a mattress.

Our Happy House joiner has already started making some from wood which has come from a couple of coconut trees we had to fell to make way for the secondary school.
That wood will soon run out and we will have to buy more, which gives us the £25 per frame..
The best of the old beds will be kept for the smaller children, but we would like to raise enough money to give each of the older children, who are now too big for narrow bunks,  a single bed of their own.
If you would like to make a birthday donation toward buying a bed please donate via JustGiving http://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate - mention bed appeal in your message.

If you prefer to send a cheque (payable to Happy House) post to Elizabeth Gomm at 6 Burwood Drive, Blackpool, FY3 8NS. Thank you.

Weclome back Manuela

The Happy House reached out to Manuela to give her a safe and loving home when, in November 2013, a family crisis led to her being taken into our care.

With help from her new brothers and sisters she settled in immediately and enjoyed life at home and in school until such a time that she was return home to her dad in March 2014.

She and her dad, who has been bringing her up alone since being widowed when Manuela was two, were thrilled to be reunited and have been living happily ever since.

Now, Manuela, who will be 12 this week, has just enrolled as a day pupil at Happy House School and is overjoyed to be back with the friends she made whilst living in our family.

She is settled in Class Six, and her dad, ever grateful to Mama and the Happy House family for the support they received in their hour of need, is happy that she now has a chance of an even brighter future through the education she will receive in our school.

Welcome back Manuela.

After five years of continuous use, many of our beds are the worse for wear, plus we have had a big influx of new arrivals, all needing beds.

It will cost £25 to build a wooden bed, and another £15 for a mattress.
Our Happy House joiner has already started making some from wood which has come from a couple of coconut trees we had to fell to make way for the secondary school.
That wood will soon run out and we will have to buy more, which gives us the £25 per frame..
The best of the old beds will be kept for the smaller children, but we would like to raise enough money to give each of the older children, who are now too big for narrow bunks,  a single bed of their own.
If you would like to make a birthday donation toward buying a bed please donate via JustGiving http://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate - mention bed appeal in your message.

If you prefer to send a cheque (payable to Happy House) post to Elizabeth Gomm at 6 Burwood Drive, Blackpool, FY3 8NS. Thank you.

New bedrooms taking shape

Linus- the plumber's apprentice!

 Keeping up with a growing family the size of ours takes some doing!

With so many new arrivals in the last three months, our existing bedrooms are bursting at the seams, so we are now busy transforming the upstairs rooms, previously used as classrooms, into bedrooms.

When completed the rooms with the a self-contained are for use by the older girls, complete with its own entrance.

This does require some modification and the installation of  showers and toilets, but once complete, it be a lovely homely space for the older girls, whilst the older boys will also have their own self-contained area.

Shower room takes shape

Lanson, our handyman, has been painting the rooms and  builders have been putting in cubicles ready for the plumbers to get to work.

Mama said her girls are really excited about the move and the rooms will have extra touches with locally made wicker laundry baskets and shelving units.

Lanson at work

"There are eight rooms, so I am turning one into a shower and toilet room, with wash basins nice mirrors and pretty curtains. 

"The other seven will be bedrooms as they vary in size some will take six beds others eight."
Buy a Bed Appeal
If you would like to help by buying a bed, or part of one, you can donate via Justgiving
https://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate/

Birthday trip down memory lane

 You've been framed!
There was a  fifth birthday surprise for our Happy House kids when they got in from school on Tuesday.
At a special Kidz Club to celebrate our fifth anniversary,  they gathered round the television to watch a slideshow of pictures from the last five years.
There were hoots of laughter as they spotted themselves, some from being just babies or toddlers!
Mama says: "We had a lovely time with the kids.  We did a slideshow of all the old pictures they laughed and laughed, shouting out the names. 
"We then went across to the banda and had fresh fruit salad sith biscuits and juice. 
We sang happy birthday to Happy House. It was lovely."

And the Happy  House wasn't the only birthday to celebrate. This week's birthday children Suleiman and Erick.
Erick received his birthday gift from Mama and Papa handed a gift over to a very happy Suleiman.

We hope you will enjoy watching our video of the kids' reaction to the birthday slideshow!

Buy a Bed:

Birthday Bed Appeal

After five years of continuous use, many of our beds are the worse for wear, plus we have had a big influx of new arrivals, all needing beds.

It will cost £25 to build a wooden bed, and another £15 for a mattress.
Our Happy House joiner has already started making some from wood which has come from a couple of coconut trees we had to fell to make way for the secondary school.
That wood will soon run out and we will have to buy more, which gives us the £25 per frame..
The best of the old beds will be kept for the smaller children, but we would like to raise enough money to give each of the older children, who are now too big for narrow bunks,  a single bed of their own.
If you would like to make a birthday donation toward buying a bed please donate via JustGiving http://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate - mention bed appeal in your message.

If you prefer to send a cheque (payable to Happy House) post to Elizabeth Gomm at 6 Burwood Drive, Blackpool, FY3 8NS. Thank you.

School Report: Seeing the law in action

 Upper primary students have been getting first hand knowledge of how the law works.
Teacher, Madam Neema, brings us this week's Happy House School Report:
Upper primary pupils have been learning about mahakamani, the law court system, in their Kiswahili lessons.

And to bring the lessons to life they went on a trip to Malindi Law Courts to witness the court in session.

The children were eager to see different people who work in the court 

They learnt about the system in Kenya whereby the highest court is the supreme court headed by the chief justice.

Taking the learning experience out of the classroom and into a practical surrounding resulted in a real enthusiasm as everyone was keen to learn more.

It also sparked an career interest, as some of our students , having seen the courts at work, expressed an interest in working there in the future.

 It really  motivated them to work hard so as to meet their goals in life. 

Birthday Bed Appeal

After five years of continuous use, many of our beds are the worse for wear, plus we have had a big influx of new arrivals, all needing beds.

It will cost £25 to build a wooden bed, and another £15 for a mattress.
Our Happy House joiner has already started making some from wood which has come from a couple of coconut trees we had to fell to make way for the secondary school.
That wood will soon run out and we will have to buy more, which gives us the £25 per frame..
The best of the old beds will be kept for the smaller children, but we would like to raise enough money to give each of the older children, who are now too big for narrow bunks,  a single bed of their own.
If you would like to make a birthday donation toward buying a bed please donate via JustGiving http://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate - mention bed appeal in your message.

If you prefer to send a cheque (payable to Happy House) post to Elizabeth Gomm at 6 Burwood Drive, Blackpool, FY3 8NS. Thank you.

Today, we are five! Happy birthday, Happy House

Happy birthday, Happy House.

It’s a landmark day for Mama, Papa, and all our Happy House family as we celebrate our fifth anniversary.

How far we have come and how much we have grown since the first children came home turning Mama Sue’s long-held vision into a reality.

As they arrived, the land on which her Happy House is built, dormant since the start of time, sprang to life.

Those children, who have been joined by so many more in the years since, remain with us, the foundation of our family, and what a privilege and joy it is to watch them grow.

From hungry, frightened, sad and hollow souls, they have been transformed into vibrant, happy, confident kids. 

Springing to life just like the land!

Thanks to the spirit engendered by Mama, her team are giving children the greatest gift – hope.

Those who have suffered the worst neglect or abuse and been afraid to trust, now know the meaning of unconditional love.  And in being loved for who they are they can now give their love and trust in the certain knowledge that it will always be reciprocated.

The last five years has not been easy, Mama has had so many obstacles to overcome, sorrows and so much worry.

Despite personal hardship, emotional and physical pain, she has never lost  her focus, never given up nor wished herself on a different path.

And nor has Papa who is her rock and her love.

American writer and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou once commented : " A diamond is a result of extreme pressure. Less time and less pressure and it is just crystal, or coal or fossilised leaves”

Mama, you are our diamond.

Thank you 
for refusing to bow the many pressures you have had to bear, for the jewel you have created in your Happy House and for giving us, your friends, the chance to be a part of it.


Enjoy today.

Our pictures feature some of our first children 

If you would like to share your favourite pictures from Happy House from the last five years or would like to  leave a birthday message, please go to our Facebook 
page:

https://www.facebook.com/happyhousewatamu

Top left: Evans, Oscar and Janet; R: Mercy and David
Bottom: l Fracis, Mwende and Mustoka;  r: Karembo, Sifa and John

Top: left: Rukia and Said; r: Natasha# and botto:
Fikirim Baraka, Stevie and Katana

Legacy of love and a Rotary weekend

A science laboratory is an essential element of the Happy House Secondary School which, funds permitting, we plan to open in January 2016.

The laboratory is now a certainty thanks to a £5,000 donation from the Christine Walker Memorial Fund.

Christine (left), a Blackpool optician and passionate member and past president of  the Blackpool and District  branch of Soroptimist International,  suffered Multiple Sclerosis and died in 2011, aged 53.

In her will she made a £150,000 bequest to Blackpool SI with instructions that it should be the benefit their work with charitable causes.

We are delighted that our application to the fund has resulted in such a wonderful donation from Christine's Fund.

Elizabeth Gomm was guest speaker at Blackpool Soroptimists last week, when she told them just how much this donation meant to our children and how it would help to instil and develop an interest in science for our children, a number of whom aim for careers in medicine. Diana, pictured, dreams of being a doctor.

She also emphasised the importance Mama Sue places on treating girls and boys equally in a country where, all too often, women and girls are undervalued.

Soroptimists is  global women's organisation., which inspires action to transform the lives of women and girls around the world.

Club president Jo Darbyshire said: "Christine cared passionately about issues affecting women  and girls throughout the world and fully supported the aims and objectives of Soroptimism to make difference to the lives of women and girls

"We know she would be delighted to know the difference it will make to children at the Happy House."

Thanking Soroptimists, Elizabeth said: "Our science lab will be a lasting memorial to a clever, caring and courageous lady."

* PIctured: SI Blackpool president, Jo Darbyshire and secretary, Su Gordon with a plaque which will be placed on the laboratory,

Rotary weekend

Thank you to all the members of Rotary and their friends who showed such an interest in our Happy House stand in the Hall of Friendship at the Lancashire and Cumbria District  Rotary Conference held at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool, this weekend.

It was lovely to know that so many of you remembered us from the conference in Scarborough two years ago when Mama Sue, one of the main speakers, made such a powerful and inspiring impression.

We hope that some of your clubs will consider helping us further after learning this weekend of how much further Mama has developed our work and how many more children are being helped, since that speech in 2013.

Special thanks to Pauline Royle  (Jane's sponsor family) and Andrea  Manders (Natasha Thoya's sponsor family) for helping Elizabeth on the stand, and to Sandra Foulkes (Saumu and Pendo's family) and Ma

raret Lund (Hapy's family) for taking Happy House into a Rotakids Conference Workshop.

Pictured: Above: Janet Simpson of Fleetwood Rotary (who is in Sudi's sponsor family) with Mary  Mason (r) who is wife of District Governor, Roger Mason.

Left: District Governor Roger Mason, past Rotary governor, Tony Quinn and Great Britain and Ireland Rotary President, Peter King. 
Buy a Bed Appeal
If you would like to help promote our Birthday Buy a Bed Appeal by displaying this poster please email Elizabeth elizabethgomm@childrenofwatamu.net  and she will send you a copy you can print.
We are on a mission to replace all our beds as quickly as we can, but are prioritising with new beds for the older children who are getting too big for narrow bunks.
A new bed is £25 and a mattress £15. To donate online please go to https://www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu/Donate/