So not one of miss an opportunity, Mama Sue asked recent visitor Colin McLean, who just happens to be an engineer, if he would have a chat with them.
Colin who, with his wife Jackie, was on a first trip to Kenya, specially to visit Happy House and their sponsor children, was happy to oblige.
Papa, who served in the Royal Engineers, listened in and said Colin gave the kids an insight into the work of an engineer and the many different fields of engineering.
Colin, managing direct of on Target Designs, says:
Colin who, with his wife Jackie, was on a first trip to Kenya, specially to visit Happy House and their sponsor children, was happy to oblige.
Papa, who served in the Royal Engineers, listened in and said Colin gave the kids an insight into the work of an engineer and the many different fields of engineering.
Colin, managing direct of on Target Designs, says:
I’ve worked in engineering for over 30 years now, the first dozen years were on the shop floor making machinery that packaged batteries, pens, Christmas chocolates, the list is almost endless.
Yes, I’m one of those guys who made the machines that put the infernal plastic bubble over the batteries you can’t get to because its stuck to a piece of card! When I had enough of that I moved on to food packaging machines.
Someone asked me if I could draw/design the machines, so I accepted my new challenge and learnt how to use a computer to draw (which was just as well as I’m still no good freehand).
I’ve now been designing in various industries including food, laundry, tobacco, air monitoring and energy for 20 years and I’m still enjoying every minute of it.
Yes, I’m one of those guys who made the machines that put the infernal plastic bubble over the batteries you can’t get to because its stuck to a piece of card! When I had enough of that I moved on to food packaging machines.
Someone asked me if I could draw/design the machines, so I accepted my new challenge and learnt how to use a computer to draw (which was just as well as I’m still no good freehand).
I’ve now been designing in various industries including food, laundry, tobacco, air monitoring and energy for 20 years and I’m still enjoying every minute of it.
As I’ve grown and developed my skills, I try to pass this knowledge on to others who I work with but especially the apprentices as they are the future of any industry.
It is because of this personal desire to improve myself and of those around me, I now want to be actively involved with sponsoring a new generation of engineers from the Happy House School.
It is because of this personal desire to improve myself and of those around me, I now want to be actively involved with sponsoring a new generation of engineers from the Happy House School.
During our visit to the school I was very impressed by the number of children who want to become engineers, and it wasn’t just boys present.
It is very important to encourage to take girls to take up careers in engineering and other traditionally male-dominated fields. It's nice to see how many went to.
I hadn’t really thought about what I would say to the young people when I met them as even though Mama Sue and Papa Dave as well as Brenda and Red, who were also visiting, had hinted at me giving a talk I'd thought they were joking!
So I just told them what I could and I'm pleased they enjoyed it.I look forward to following them in the future.
Christmas Appeal nears target
Thank you to evertyone who has donated to our Festive Holiday Fund which is so close to reaching its £1000 target.
The Fund will enable us to give an action packed week, with lots of treats, to all our resident children plus those, former Happy House kids, who have been repatriated with family members. They are still supported by Happy House and still very much members of our family, and they will all be travelling back for a week-long stay with us,
It's going to be exciting.
You can help by making a donation here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/childrenofwatamu/festivefund
