Kitchen cover-ups

Our kids love keeping busy and are a great help in the kitchen.
They can turn their hands to  kneading bread, chopping vegetables, washing up or mopping up - and always with a smile!
Brenda Groves,  Auntie Brenda to our family, very kindly sent a parcel of colourful aprons for our youngsters and they were thrilled to bits!
Thank you Auntie Brenda.

Light the way

Education at Happy House is not the only way we light up the lives of bright young students eager to learn.
The kid,s from abject poverty, who have a place on our free place scholarship scheme receive all they need to be good students - uniform, books, shoes, meals. PE kit , deodorants and solar lights.
The most recent intake of students, none of  hom have electricity in their homes, have been given solar powered lanterns.
This not only enables them to study at home but also makes them much safer as so many injuries and deaths are caused every year  by the use of kerosene lamps.
Mr Steve said: "They were so pleased with the torches and have also promised to take good care and make good use of them.

Mr Steve added: " We are also giving thank for what Mama Sue is  doing to these kids by ensuring that they are getting good education,.
"As she says: Education is something no one can ever take away from you. 
"May  she and the HappY house family be blessed abundantly."

Pictured are: Tumaini Jumaa, Faith Lozzy, Sharlet Rehema, Mariam Kahindi, Thomas Kahindi, Samson Jumaa.

School report: Seeds of knowledge

 Sowing the seed of knowledge!

Class two have been learning about germination in their science lesson and it's been made all the more exciting and relevant by taking it from the page to the plant .

The children planted seeds and are nurturing them to see how they grow 

There has been preparation throughout the school for the end of term exams with everyone working their hardest. 

Class 7 and 8 are taking zonal examinations and we hope for a good performance.

We were proud and delighted to again be visited by the Education Sub-County chief officials who came to congratulated our school for being  top in the 2016 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination.

Happy House "home from home"

There were four very special little visitors to Happy House on Saturday.

The youngsters who have all been happily repatriated to live with a parent or relative, whilst still receiving our support, came to their home from home for a day to spend time with members of their sponsor families who are on holiday in Watamu.

Laura, Daniela, Susana and Levian

Twin brothers Peter and Paul, Peninah and Natasha Thoya were all delighted to be back to see their visitors, Mama and Papa and their Happy House friends.

Susanna Gregorio, who has a home in Watamu and is guardian to Levian,  brought Daniela Bonassi and Laura Astori early so they would be there to greet the children.

Natasha with Mama & Papa

Uncle Ronnie says: "The kids arrived a bit late as they used public transport which is not that reliable in relation with time.

Peter, Paul and Peninah

Finally they all arrived and we were all happy to see them again, healthy, happy and active.

They had a chat with Mama then had fun with their sponsor friends,

It was lunch time and they enjoyed pizza with our home kids and later spend time playing with Laura and Daniela. 

They were given gifts including clothes, toy cars and dolls.

Daniela and Laura also enjoyed catching up with the progress of all the children and especially the Safari family - Mariam, Suleiman, Saumu, Fred and Rosie. 

It was a very happy time for us all."

Neema comes back home

We have had huge success in reuniting children in our care, some for up to six years, with relatives who are now able to give them a home.

We do not only support their education and healthcare, we are also tenacious in monitoring the progress of each and every one,

Following up each child, with home and school calls and visits, ensures Mama and her team know exactly how each child is doing at any given time.

It's not a case of settling school fees and medical costs, it is much more. To Mama it is about the whole child and how they are.

Margaret, who went to live with an Uncle and Aunt more than an year ago, to be joined later by her little sister Neema, has now moved in with another auntie in Malindi as there was no secondary school nearby.

She is settled, but the auntie didn't have room for Neema too who was struggling..

So Mama felt it was in Neema's best interests to come back to Happy House to be amongst her Happy House "sisters" and "brothers", the little people she had grown up with.

The Uncle and Aunt who had given her a home agreed it would be best for her and

Neema arrived back on Saturday to a big kiss from Mama,.

"She was so happy, she ran off to play as though she had never been away," said Mama.

"Once at Happy House kid ..."

A golden chance, by Moses

Moses and his brothers have received an extra helping of our Happy House magic this week, as Mama has helped them move into a new and more secure home.
As reported on yesterday's blog she has also given his eldest brother a job to help him to provide for his two younger siblings.
Moses, who has great academic ability  has been on our scholarship scheme since 2915. He passed his KCPE with flying colours and is now in Form 2 of our Secondary School. He is grateful to be regarded as a member of our family.
He writes:
What a golden chance it is to be a member of the Happy House family.
It is a place where children who had no hope nor education are being given  a bright future with hope and with goals they can strive to attain.Led by our kindly Mama Sue and Papa Dave we are being provided with all the encouragement and teaching to help us reach our goals.
They do whatever is needed to make our lives good,
At Happy House school we have breakfast club which feeds us good food to give us strength so as to perform  well in class.
Also at our school there are the best teachers ever!After doing an exam in school  Mama Sue talks to us in an  an academic clinic and emphasises the importance of working hard.

She cares how we are doing at home when not in school.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mama Sue, sponors and and everyone who
does all they can to make sure that this scholarship scheme continues and for giving us this wonderful opportunity to make our life bright.

Moses gets his smile back

The worry and heartache of living in extreme hardship was telling on Moses face.

An extremely bright and talented young scholarship student, with his heart set on being a doctor,  Mama noticed he was looking thin and the light that had shone so brightly from the boy, had dimmed almost to nothing.

In school, his marks had dropped five places.

Worried something must be wrong, Mama asked him to come for a chat,

"I talked to him and he says the place he is living is not good, lots of people are drunk and drugs are everywhere.

He has found a better room with a small bathroom and electricity. 

Mr Isaac, our headteacher,  went and checked it out, and has spoken to the landlord. The rent is 2,500/- per month, and the bond is also 2,500/- 

I have  paid that and also given bought three mattresses, as he has two brothers one older and one younger. 

We have made up a pack of sheets, towels, soap, toothpaste and brushes. We have also added a bag of ugali flour.

 Isaac the older brother does odd jobs wherever he can pick up some work. If he gets it they eat if he doesn’t they don’t, so Moses was having meals here at school but nothing else,

I spoke to Isaac who he says he does painting so we have given him a month's  work, painting the outside of Happy House, plus lunch.

He is thrilled.

They moved on Tuesday evening.

I saw Moses the following morning in school and oh he was happy.

I said what did you have for dinner, his eyes were shining as he said rice and fish!

Isaac is here painting away on the outside of the building.

I am sure we can get them on their feet. 

For 8,000/- , that's £63,  we have really turned their lives around. 

Isn’t it just amazing!''

Right little royals!

A recent delivery of dresses and shorts from our own royal dressmaker are a huge hit with the little people in our family.
Margaret Sumpter from Dagenham, who in her younger days worked for royal dressmaker, Norman Hartnell, and stitched dresses for the Queen, and her daughter, Dawn Szpak, who sponsors Mercy Chagawa, have made another batch of colourful clothes for our children.
They also made some useful bags and added some leggings to their consignment.
Our picture shows Natasha , Sudi ,Diana, Rose, Lydia, Saumu, Daudi, David, Baraka and Faith modelling the lovely items.
Thank you to Margaret and Dawn for once again helping to keep our kids dressed like royalty!

Birthday triple act

Three Happy House children celebrate their birthdays this week.

Mama, Papa and Auntie Rose were happy to present the happy trio with their bags of gifts,

First up was Suleiman Safari who posed with Papa for a picture, after the family greeted him with birthday songs; then came Eric Safari who received his present from Auntie Rose and last, by not least, was Joyce Mona who went to Mama for her gift,

Kidz Club is always a cheerful gathering and a chance for everyone to share their news. Mama spoke words of encouragement to the children who will be taking their end of term exams next week.

School Report: Motor on!

 School is now in the 12th week of term and the everyone is as busy as ever, writes Madam Neema.
The baby class had a lesson playing with coloured bricks which helps them to identify colours and to strengthen their fine motor skills as they manipulate  the bricks and also encourages them to share with each other.

Kg 1 had training on eye hand co-ordination  copying work from the board to their exercise books and they are responding well.
 They also attend computer lessons every Wednesday and they really enjoy painting and drawing and using the different PC roms.

Kg 2 pupils are having  addition and subtraction lessons to cement their foundation in mathematics.

Generally everything is running smoothly at school as teachers and pupils are busy preparing for end term exam.

Pulling out the stops for Happy house

It was in the summer of 2010, a few months after the Happy House opened that  Lesley and Alan Pidcock visited for the first time, along with their daughter Kathryn.
Since that time, they have been wonderful friends to our family - sponsoring Janet, Natasha Thoya, who is now reunited with her mum, and latterly Priscilla.
They have also supported Happy House  events and, when living in the UK, Lesley much to raise money including asking for donations instead of gifts for her 50th birthday.
Being a part of the Happy House family has brought them lasting friendships.
Lesley and Alan, who live in Saudi Arabia where Alan works, are making their first visit back in a couple of weeks time and looking forward to seeing  for themselves how the Happy House has grown and developed.
And determined to help as much as they can, they are fundraising in Saudi -   raising the equivalent of approximately £1440 so far, with the main event still to come.
Thrilled with the support she is receiving, Lesley has sent this update:
"It has been a busy week.

On Tuesday I went to speak to the Mums and Tots group who are keen to arrange a little sponsored toddle for the little ones, 
 On Wednesday, I met with the children of the youth club who are very keen to take part in a sponsored carry a bucket of water race. 

I have had a number of donations , 2070 SAR from various colleagues and friends who will not be around on our fun day

 A friend of mine left here last week and left me boxes of bric-a-brac to sell for the charity, I had my first sale on Friday and another 725 SAR was donated with more sales to come this week.

The biggest donation so far has come from a social event held on Friday night, where Pete Travis was the auctioneer of return airfare to the UK this ticket raised a total of 3,900SAR .
In the picture  are Ben Boyd (the donor), myself and Pete Travis.

Things we have planned for this week - Saturday's fun day with stalls, raffle, music; the youth club's sponsored walk and soak an exec where the managers are going to be auctioned off to go in the stocks and have wet sponges thrown at them.

I have been so overwhelmed by the kind generosity of everyone and the support from the management, our friends, work colleagues and neighbours." 
Well done Lesley, your hard work is certainly paying dividends for our Happy House family. Thank you and all those who are backing your efforts..

Care in the community

Raising a family that is caring and sharing is central to Mama Sue and Papa Dave's vision for the Happy House.

They want the young people who are growing up and being educated in their care to to go out into the world wanting to help make their communities a better place and to spread the love the skills the Happy House gives them.

And Mama is always illustrating to them, and to the community around them, how much we care.

Most recently she arranged for baby clothes and teddies, surplus to our needs, to be taken to the local mother and baby centre, Watamu Nursing Home, to be distributed to mums and babies in need.
They were delighted with the thoughttul gifts.

My teacher, by Josphat

Josphat Charles is one of our scholarships students who, without our support, would have been struggling to attend school regularly because of his family's poverty.

Josphat writes:

My name is Josphat and I want to tell you about one of my teachers.

My Kiswahili teacher is called Madam Charlotte. She is very good teacher because she has helped me a lot in my Kiswahili

Madam Charlotte is a very honest and polite teacher she likes using proverbs.

 Madam Charlotte likes dancing and singing .She has the best handwriting of all the teachers.

 Her hobby is reading story books, dancing and singing.

 When I grow up I would like to became an author or a poet 

Party time for Happy House birthday

 When Happy House has a birthday, a party is  must.
And Mama Sue and Papa Dave have certainly taught our kids how to to celebrate.
For our 7th anniversary,  their was singing, dancing, apple bobbing and acrobatics as the kids, still full of energy after a day at school,  put on a show.
Mama Sue and Papa Dave welcomed guests, good friends and long-time supporters, Linda Newman, Dawn Heather White and Susanna Gregorio.
There was juice to drink, cake to eat and loads of fun as the Happy House gave the children, once again, memories to cherish for a lifetime.
You can just imagine them, one day in the future looking back on the party and, telling their own children: "When I was a Happy House kid ...!

Happy House - a magnificent seven today!

Happy birthday Happy House!
Today, we are  seven and what magnificent achievements have been made since the day of our official opening on March 17, 2010.
From the arrival of the first child, Benedict in February, to the opening our family had grown to 28. 
Youngsters who still remember being there before the container had been unpacked, and who hold their own special memories of being the first Happy House kids,
Since that time, our number has fluctuated as our family has evolved.
  For some children we have been a port in the storm of a family crisis, whilst others, some living in our care for up to six years, have gone home to live with a parent or close relative 
now in a position to give them a home whilst we provide for their education and healthcare.
As children move on (they always remain Happy house kids) others come.
At its highest, there have been 111 kids in our resident family. Right now we have 64.
When our inspirational, incredible, devoted and determined Mama Sue realised her dream of opening her Happy House,  a school was furthest from her thoughts, but as our kids grew and developed so did her Happy House and we now have kindergarten, primary and secondary schools all on one site just a hop and skip away - and believe me, our kids can hop and skip!
Nor had Sue's vision extended to scholarship students, but now we have 88.
Mama Sue has grown her Happy House to embrace change to touch and enhance more young lives.
It's been seven years of love,laughter and tears -  the love and laughter shared publicly, tears shed privately by both Sue and her beloved husband, Dave, our much-loved Papa Dave.
Papa is Mama's rock. His enduring love and support has supported her through so many difficult times, borne with courage and determination.
Through everything life has thrown at them,  their Happy House has been their focus.  
It is at the very core of their being.
Mama and Papa have made their Happy House, our Happy House.
Your support makes their work happen, Without YOU it would not be possible.
And so today as we say Happy Birthday Happy House, we also  say to each and every one of you, who has helped in any way, thank you.
If you would like to make a birthday gift by making a donation to our computer appeal please go to: https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/childrenofwatamu/letsdoit

Tall order

 We've said it before, and we'll probably say it again - keeping on top of maintenance of the Happy House is like painting the Forth Bridge.

It's a never-ending task, no sooner is one job done than another crops up.

The salt air, intense sunshine and high humidity all take their toll.

But good housekeeping ensures that all is kept in tip top condition and as soon as something starts showing wear, Mama has somebody on with the repairs and, with our budget always stretched, she always negotiates the best prices when outside craftsmen are needed.

Latest repairs, with the rains on the way, have been on the large banda where the makuti roof has needed some attention.

 It's a tall order, but the makuti men take it in their stride.

To them, it is all in a day's work.

School Report: Primary sports hit and miss

Happy House primary school ball teams faced tough competition when they went to a sports day at Chafisi Primary.

Happy House teams started well but both girls and boys football teams were eliminated. The boys were  were thrashed 5 to 2 and girls 2 – 0,

In volleyball our boys defeated Chafisi two sets nil while the girls team drew.
In netball we were again degeated, but we were up against some very string players and our teams did their very best.

Happy House maintained its legacy of winning by defeating Wings of Mercycluster in girls football, netball and boys volleyball and netball. 
Happy house also produced a good number of pupils who will represent Happy House cluster in the same activities at Watamu Primary School and the names of those who were selected are as follows:

Netball: Riziki Safari, Baraka Mkutano, Antony Fondo and Khamis Katana.
Volleyball:Doris Bendera, Mariam Safari, Khamis Katana, Riziki Safari, Baraka Mkutano and Antony Fondo.
Football : Frida Sonje and Riziki Safari

We left a part of our hearts at Happy House

Life changed for Basak Gunaydin  when she made a trip to Kenya 12 years ago.
A busy corporate executive from New York, her vist had such a profound effect on her that it lead her to search her soul, change direction, and become a teacher of therapeutic yoga and meditation.
In the process she is helping to guide her students towards finding fulfilment in their own lives.
She recently brought one of her own dreams come true by coming back to Kenya, this time with a party of her students.

They were staying at the luxury retreat, Watamu Treehouse, and as we reported a couple of weeks ago they came to visit our family and to show our children some yoga - which they loved!.
Now back in the USA Basak has written to Mama Sue.
" It was wonderful meeting you and Happy House family during our yoga retreat .

It was a dream of mine to get back to Kenya and  to bring my students to have the heart opening experience I had when I was there 12 years ago, 

Our visit had such effect on everyone and we  all left a part of our hearts in Happy House.

 I congratulate you and your husband for who you are to these kids and how you opened your hearts to them. 

It is so apparent.

These kids are so lucky when we see the others living in their homes but with no prospect of going  to school or pursuing their dreams..

Thank you for this opportunity, thank you for caring so "

Our thanks to you Basak and we have great pleasure in welcoming you to our family as a child a sponsor.

Filling the gap!

If Kenya had a tooth fairy, which thankfully it doesn't, she would need a bed at the Happy House.
We have so many little ones in the family and they are losing their milk teeth at a rate of knots.
To help build strong bones and teeth they get plenty of milk and green vegetables in their diet, but Mama has decided it would be best for everyone to give them even more milk each day.
And they are lapping it up. 
With plenty milky drinks, a healthy diet and good oral hygeine,  those new teeth last a lifetime!

PLEASE HELP

Computer literacy is a key skill and employers expect their workforce to understand and be able to use information technology.

 We desperately need to raise £3,500 to buy five new computers and to repair three more  for our school computer room so we have enough for every pupil taking a computer class.

Sharing, as they do at the moment, holds up lessons and delays learning.
Please donate at https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/childrenofwatamu/letsdoit

There is no other school like ours, by Mariam

Mariam and her four siblings have been loved and valued members of our family since they came to live at Happy House on Valentine's Day in 2011.
Up until that time none of the kids had been to school and Mariam, the eldest, was given lots of help to build her confidence and to help her catch up on basic literacy skills.
Mariam is now a very capable and caring young woman.
 She writes today's blog about Happy House School:

''My school is called Happy House.

 In our school we have a lot of classrooms and we also have a big field.

 Our teachers are very hardworking to help us in many ways. Our teachers love us very much.

 In our school we have a computer room, a  library room and a big office for the teachers.

 In my class we are 21 students, we are people working hard to achieve their goals.

 We are happy to sty in Happy House School, in the whole country there not another school like it.

 On our field we are playing football and different games. We also invite other schools to come and play together.

We also invite other school for debating competitions.

In our school compound we planted flowers which makes our school beautiful. 

We love our school very much.

Our teachers teach us to use polite words and to behave well."

PLEASE HELP: The internet is helping Mariam to discover more about the world around her. Mariam loves computer lessons!

 We desperately need to raise £3,500 to buy five new computers and to repair three more so we have enough to go round in computer classes.
Please donate at https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/childrenofwatamu/letsdoit

Happy times

 Our family made two new friends this week when William Smith and his girlfriend, Nadia, came to see us.
William and Nadia, who live in Ireland,  brought with them some beautiful things for our children.
They were invited to be be our special guests at Kidz Club when children welcomed them in song.
They then enjoyed a singing competition between Mama's team and Papa's teams.
The children were in such fine voice that it was agreed it was impossible to pick winner so it was declared a draw.
Papa hosted some more concentration games including Simon Says. 

Susan "sales'' past £2000

Trading online has netted £2000 for Happy House over the last four years.

Susan Carr, from Cleveleys, wanted to help raise money for our family but as she was, at the time, caring for her elderly mother she was unable to get involved in fundriasing events.

So she set about selling small secondhand items on the auction site eBid and donating all the money she made to Happy House.

And every month or so since she embarked on her venture she has dropped off a cheque to Elizabeth Gomm.

The latest one for £43. 55 has taken her past a landmark £2000 by 8p.

Susan is thrilled and so are we.

Elizabeth Gomm said: "Susan is so thoughtful and so generous to our family. She quietly gets on with what she does and every few weeks a cheque drops through my letterbox.

" Her eBid shop sells allsorts - old postcards, CDS, vintage knitting patterns and jewellery, sheet music, royal souvenirs etc.

"She also very kindly handles online sales for our Happy House cotton bags and handbeaded bracelets made in Watamu.

"Susan is  a caring sponsor of scholarship student Mary. Mary always looks forward to hearing from her.

"Since losing her mum, Susan has given her time to help when we have any events locally.

"She's a lovely person, and we value all she has done and is doing for our children.

"Thank you Susan and congratulations on making it beyond the £2000 mark."

To see Susan's online marketplace, with over 300 items on sale, go to https://www.ebid.net/uk/users/sucadot/listings/ 

Sybille's shopping for our family

Our friend Sybille, who with her husband Danilo and sons Manuel and Gabriel,  sponsors Happy House kid Khalid has donated 400 euro to buy essential items for our stores.
Her friend, Tundra Tononi, who has been a long-time friend and supporter of our family arranged for her mother, who lives in Watamu, to go shopping and deliver the items to Happy House.
Our kids were hugely excited
 when the delivery arrived and only too happy to help unload it and pose for pictures.

Thank you Sybille, Danilo, Manuel and Gabriel for being so generous to our children.

School Report: A world of difference

Our library and computer room are such wonderful resources for the students at Happy House School, writes Mr Karani.
 To be able to borrow titles to read in their free time opens up the world of books, fact and fiction.
Computer lessons are always popular and here, too, they have a chance to explore the world - via technology and the internet.
We look forward to the time when we will have enough for each pupil taking a lesson in the computer room so they can speed ahead, without the hold-ups caused by some having to share.
We now have the mid-term break but the kids are still eager to come into school and soak up knowledge!
If you would like to donate to our Let's Do IT computer appeal, to buy five new computers and to repair three more, please go to
 https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/childrenofwatamu/letsdoit

Ready, teddy, go!

Our Let's Do IT! computer appeal has been given a welcome £50 boost thanks to youngsters at a Blackpool school.

The School Council at Holy Farmily RC Primary School, North Shore,  wanted to help Happy House and decided to have a Guess the Name of the Teddy at their Christmas Fair,

Yesterday,  Elizabeth Gomm was delighted to go into school to meet the council and to receive the cheque, handed over by chairman Natalie Barber.

Elizabeth told them how important it was for our children to learn about computers in school to give them a headstart in the future.

She also told them how much had been happening since her last visit to their school and about the way we are working to make it possible for children to be reunited with relatives.

Teacher Jane Mather said she hoped they would raise more money for Happy House in the future.

Thank you to everyone at Holy Farmily, you are real stars!

The Holy Family donation brings takes our appeal to £770.

We must raise £3,500 to buy five new computers and to repair three more so we have enough to go round in computer classes in our Happy House School.

Maybe, like Holy Family, you could organise a fundraiser to help.  Every penny donated will help take us to our target and is truly appreciated.
Please donate at https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/childrenofwatamu/letsdoit

Goodies arrive from UK

 A special delivery of lovely items from the UK has arrived at Happy House.

Peter Derry very kindly brought all the wonderful things collected by his wife, Terri , whilst he was making a visit to Turtle Bay Hotel.

Thank you Terri we are so delighted with the lovely clothes, stationery , masks (which everyone was eager to try)  and other things,

Your kindness is very much appreciated by all our family.

I like to Google, by John

John, his brother Sifa and sister Karembo lived in the care of our Happy House family for almost six years.

Last year, we made it possible for them to return home to their grandmother who, now they are older, can give them a home.

The cost of education and medical care were beyond her reach, so we meet all these costs , including uniform, books, meals etc, and, as with all the children we have repatriated, keep a very close eye on their progress and welfare.

John, the middle of the three, writes today's blog:

My name is John. I am 12 years old,I am a boy.

I learn at Happy House School in Watamu, I am in class six.

My class teacher is called Md Nelly and my best subjects are maths and science.

I am being taught by five teachers.

I have one sister, Karembo,  and one brother, Sifa.

My sister is younger than me and is in class four and my brother older andhe is in form one high school.

My favourite game is football , I always play football after school and during the weekends,

I also like playing computer games and Googling for information.

At home I help in the shamba digging,planting and watering the crops.

PLEASE HELP: The internet is helping John to discover more about the world beyond the village he lives in.  John enjoys computer lessons in our school where he is learning so much and becoming computer literate. We desperately need to raise £3,500 to buy five new computers and to repair three more so we have enough to go round in computer classes.
Please donate at https://www.justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/childrenofwatamu/letsdoit

Let's concentrate

After the success of playing the concentration game "Yes or No" with the teachers last weekend, Papa has again been firing the questions but this time testing the kids.
The game at Kidz Club was great fun with all those taking part trying hard not to answer a question with a Yes or No , but it was Papa's namesake David that proved to be a real match!
Brian Hayward was star of the week for keeping his room and locker clean and tidy.
Auntie Dawn Heather presented him with a certificate for his memory box
He also stepped into the spotlight to show off his skills at multiplication tables, this time saying his six times tables perfectly!

Well done Brian, you are a clever boy.