Tuesday 31 July 2018

Holiday mix-up led Mama to her Happy House

Our Meet the Family video series has been hugely popular with our existing friends, and has also helped to make us new ones.
Some of you may not be familiar with the story of our amazing Mama Sue and Papa Dave and the holiday mix-up that put them on the road to to the Happy House.
So today we bring you that story:

Our founder, Sue Hayward and her husband Dave were running a small hotel in the seaside town of Blackpool when they went on holiday to Kenya in January 2000,
A twist of fate, a mistake by their tour operator, took them to Watamu - and a substitute for the hotel they had booked in a different area.
While they were there they came across a small school where children were sitting on stone floors, counting with stones.  The teachers had no resources with which to teach.
This was at the time we were celebrating the millennium, celebrating a brand new age and yet here were these children with nothing – not even a desk or exercise book.
Sue started helping from that moment and over the next seven years worked with the management of the school to develop it into three schools, with 700 places, educating children from baby class to school leaving at secondary level. 
Sue worked tirelessly, mostly on her own, raising money and gathering support and sponsorship. 
By 2007 the school was in a position to be self-supporting.
Sue had seen the way extreme poverty, HIV Aids, malaria etc was affecting children in the tourist-reliant fishing village and surrounding area.  
Many kids were being left with elderly relatives unable to look after them, others abandoned and living on the streets where they were easy targets for predators looking to sell children for sex or child labour.  Sometimes, with a lone parent defeated by their own circumstances and unable to work, children were suffering extreme neglect with no hope, nor opportunity.
Sue had a vision of creating a children’s home, her Happy House, which would be a happy family home filled love and laughter.
Her charity, which she registered with the UK charity commission in 2003, had, at the time, very little money. She had no land, nor formal plans.
But Sue, who believes her work is guided by a much higher force than herself, set about launching her Happy House plan believing the where withal to make it happen would come. It did.
By 2008, she had been given four acres of land by a local elder, and had raised enough money to start the build at a time when political troubles has caused a slump in tourism and people were desperate for work.  Fortunately, support kept coming to continue the build and the Happy House was finally completed in February 2010.
The Happy House was officially opened in March 2010, by which time there were 28 vulnerable children living there.
Since that time our family and our Happy House has grown, at most we have been home to 111 children.
Since 2010, we have added purpose built kindergarten, primary and secondary schools on a dedicated site a short walk away. Here, as at the Happy House, everything we do is to the highest standard. We believe that every child, regardless of background, deserves the best.
Our school is attended by those children living at Happy House, children who have been repatriated and live close enough to attend, some fee-paying pupils from the local community who bring in some income towards sustaining our school, plus a number of students, from abject poverty, who are on free places with all their costs (tuition, uniform, shoes, books, main meals and snacks, solar lamps, deodorants, sanitary pads etc) met by our charity.
Since 2014, Watamu has suffered a tourism decline because many Governments advised against travel because of the risk of terrorism. This advice has been lifted for our area but recovery is slow Thankfully more tourists are returning which helps the economic climate of our community whilst also increasing the number of visitors we receive who bring donations and essential items for our family.
Our objectives to provide a safe, family home and education for children in need continue to be fulfilled and extended.
Sue has fulfilled her wish to make Happy House a flagship for the care and education of children.  Her innovative approach is praised and recognised by Minister for Children Services, the Children’s Court, and ACIK (the Association of Children’s Institutions in Kenya).
Happy House believes that no child should remain in care longer than necessary and, in accordance with Government requirements, has an exit policy for every child committed to its care.
We, at Happy House, do all we can to maintain family contact and to do more. Relatives of children are encouraged to visit, children go on home visits where it is safe for them to do so, and when a relative’s situation improves to the extent a child can be returned to live with them, we are making this happen. 
We enable this to happen by meeting the costs education (uniform, books all a child needs to be in school), and medical costs – often out of reach to relatives willing and happy to feed and house a child.
We have now successfully repatriated  a large number of children.  They have returned to a parent, grandparent or other close relative who, in the time their young family member has been in our care, have been able to recover and get back on their feet after whatever tragedy or illness that led to their separation.
We monitor their situations very carefully. Each family is contacted regularly by telephone, visits take place, and schools are contacted.
Indeed, the children are shining like beacons in their schools and communities because of the foundation they have received in our care. They are excelling at school, raising aspirations of their classmates, and have both academic and life-skills to share.
The interests of each individual child are paramount. Where repatriation has not worked out the children have happily returned to our care and adjusted straight away.
In December, all the children repatriated return for a week-long “home” visit with our resident family when they have a wonderful time together celebrating Christmas.
This special time is an opportunity for Mama and our social worker to talk to the children individually and groups.
As some children have left to start new lives with relatives, other children needing care and protection have arrived at Happy House. They arrive sad, frightened little beings but with our love and care they are transformed into happy, confident kids in no time.
They start school by going to playgroup and love it!
In 2015, our first class eight primary students achieved an outstanding 100% success rate in the Kenya Certificate of primary Education – a remarkable achievement as they were all kids either living in our care or on our scholarship scheme, from extreme poverty, whose education had been sporadic before coming to Happy House. They are now in their third year of secondary school.
Their 100 per cent success rate in the KCPE was been repeated every year since.
We will open our Class 4 in secondary school in January 2019.
In our school we provide the highest quality of education. We harness the opportunities provided by new technology. We have a computerised library system, donated by a UK company, which allow every book in our library to be tracked. We haver opened up the world to teachers and students by installing smart TVs, again donated by friends, which have taken learning to a new level. We have a computer room with broadband access, so important for youngsters who will enter the workplace, and a science lab. Again all donated by friends who share our belief that all children, regardless of background, deserve the best education and home life possible.
Thanks to the support we receive from individuals and organisations, and our wonderful child sponsors, we have been able not just to maintain the work we do at Happy House but also to extend it to supporting repatriated children, and increasing the number of needy children and young people from the local area who are on our Dr Danwata Scholarship Scheme – named in honour of the doctor, a Nigerian from humble beginnings, who treated Sue for breast cancer in 2012.
Thankfully, she has made a complete recovery.
Raising funds is a constant battle, and it gets harder every year.
Sue and Dave live in Kenya and Sue works full time running the Happy House supported by a strong management team and carefully selected staff. 
Elizabeth Gomm, a volunteer and trustee of the charity, looks after the charity’s interests in the UK, pursuing new avenues of funding and sponsorship in the UK and raising awareness.
Our budget is stringently managed, and every effort is made to keep costs down.  Every item we buy, every service or trade we use involves negotiation to ensure that we get a fair price. We will not pay over the odds but we are always fair.
We pride ourselves that all money, every item, donated to our Happy House goes exactly where it is intended. To make life better and brighter for children in need.
As costs rise and interest rates drop even lower in the UK, there is an impact on funds we receive and so we are vigilant in the way money is spent, waste is kept to a minimum and there is no over-staffing.  
We are also pursuing every avenue open to find new donors and sponsors for our scholarship scheme to ensure that we can continue to change young lives for the better. Only those people, who are Kenyan, who are employed at Happy House are paid
We hope our story of our amazing Mama Sue, who has sacrificed so much to turn her vision into a reality, and her children will touch your heart and that you may wish to support our work. We are grateful for every new friend we make.

Monday 30 July 2018

Meet the family: Mama and Papa bring this series to a close

Founders of our charity Sue and Dave Hayward have found making this series of Meet the Family videos a wonderful experience.
They spend every day at Happy House and are a real Mama and Papa to our kids.
They love the kids who have come to them for all kinds of reasons, and who all come burdened with the sadness of the past.
But through these videos they have seen just how much the children love them, cuddle up to them, and value them
Mama said the videos have been a great bonding and team building experience for kids and staff.
On Thursday, we are going to start a new series - Inside School- to give you a glimpse of what goes on there and who is who!
We will, of course, keep you up to date with our family news from all the home news from Happy House too.

Sunday 29 July 2018

Meet the family: Musyoka talks Maths!

Musyoka, bright as a button and eager to learn,  is grateful for the education he is receiving at Happy House.
He knows, as do all our children, that education is the road out of poverty and the way to achieve their dreams.
Mama Sue expects each child to work hard, to do their best, and explains to them just how hard those supporting our charity and sponsoring our children have to work in order to give them a better life.
Today, Musyoka, talks about his favourite subject, maths.

Saturday 28 July 2018

Meet the family: Christmas is coming

Our Happy House Christmas fairy, Auntie Millicent, is already packing parcels ready for our Christmas celebration in December.
All the children reunited with families members, or staying with relatives on extended home visits to see how they go, will be coming back to join the 63 kids currently living in our care.
So Santa will have more than 100 parcels to hand out when he make his call to Happy House
We like to make sure that every girl and boy, aged between two and 17, will receive a new outfit of clothing.
With the summer sales in full swing in the UK and many parts of Europe Mama is appealing to YOU, our friends, to give Santa a helping hand! For those who would send a  parcel, bearing in mind we do have to pay import duty on anything we receive, the address is Sue Hayward's Happy House, PO Box 796, Watamu, Kenya, East Africa.

Friday 27 July 2018

Meet the family: This week's Kidz Club

 There was much singing and a lot of fun at Kidz Club this week.
As usual there was competition between the boys and the girls and Auntie Fatuma had the difficult task of choosing the winners.
She didn't hesitate when asked to announce her decision.
There was also a birthday to celebrate with gifts and greetings for our lovely Abu.
Happy birthday Abu.

Thursday 26 July 2018

Meet the family: Chickens get a new home

When a local water official and his family gave Mama and Papa some poultry for our family, we only had a small coop to keep them in.
We know that to get the best of of our feathered friends they need space to run, roost and lay and where they are safe from predators.
And as there were five cockerels and five hens it turned out to be a volatile mix, so some hat to go for the pot as the cockerels were always fighting.
The cockerel and his hens now have a splendid new run,  built by our joiner Uncle Charo, and where we hope they will produce chicks to add to our flock.
It would be wonderful to have our own source of eggs.
Uncle Ronald gives you a tour of the chicken house on today's video.

Wednesday 25 July 2018

Meet the family: Happy and Baby Hayward video

All the children living in Happy house come to us from situations of poverty, neglect or tragedy.
As we nourish and nurture them they grow into happy, healthy and outgoing children, ready to grasp opportunities with both hands and run with life.
It's not just children we rescue, we also have our four-legged feline friends - Happy and Baby Hayward.
Happy, who has been resident for a long while now, was one of an unwanted litter of kittens and Baby Hayward , our kitten, just turned up at our gate in a sorry state - needing a home.
The two now live in harmony and enjoy the attention they receive from the kids.

Apologies for seeing thsi twice. The earlier blog had an issue with the video - but here it is!

Meet the family: Our feline friends

 All the children living in Happy house come to us from situations of poverty, neglect or tragedy.
As we nourish and nurture them they grow into happy, healthy and outgoing children, ready to grasp opportunities with both hands and run with life.
It's not just children we rescue, we also have our four-legged feline friends - Happy and Baby Hayward.
Happy, who has been resident for a long while now, was one of an unwanted litter of kittens and Baby Hayward , our kitten, just turned up at our gate in a sorry state - needing a home.
The two now live in harmony and enjoy the attention they receive from the kids.

Tuesday 24 July 2018

Meet the family:Birthday double

Children living in our family at the Happy House  celebrate  birthdays at Kidz Club each week, but we are now bringing the birthday children to you by going  to school to see them and to film them
Uncle Ronald, our social worker, introduces this week's birthday double act, Brain Isaiho and Alex Kea.
Each child receives a bag of gifts and greetings from the family.
As gift bags are hard to come by, we reuse until they are no longer for purpose!
So you will seem them on the blog on many occasions.

Monday 23 July 2018

Meet the family: Kidz Club

There's a real treat in shore for you on today's video from Happy House. Introduced by Mama Sue, some of our younger members of the family showcase their party pieces.
David, who has special needs and who had such a tough start in life, takes centre stage to sing for us.
Eight later this year, David's speech has been delayed but he's never happier than when he is signing and dancing.
Look out for your sponsor child, seeing them happy at home is just the best feeling. 
Or, for an experience of a life time, you could make a trip to visit our Happy House and to meet your child in person.
You would be very welcome.


Sunday 22 July 2018

Meet the family: Lydia, Jessica,. Brian and Harry

Two young Haywards on the blog with Mama and Papa today - Brian and Harry.
Both eight, they have been with us since they were newborn. Harry was a foundling and Brian an abandoned baby.
They are joined by Jessica who came to our family with her brother Stephano, and sister, Purity, in 2015 and Lydia, the eldest of three youngsters who were rescued from extreme neglect in 2016.
She and her brother Joshua and sister Faith now have a lovely life, as do all our kids, at Happy House.
We are conscious that our usual Kidz Blog is limited to the older children, so by doing a video chat it widens it to every age group.
On this video tMama and Papa get the childrenchatting - and singing.
We hope you will enjoy it.

Saturday 21 July 2018

Meet the family: Girls in full voice

How our Happy House kids love to sing.
They absolutely love music, have a natural sense of rhythm., and spend hours singing and dancing.
Every kidz club, the girls take on the boys in the a singing competition. It's just a bit of fun for the kids but a real dilemma for who ever has been given the job of choosing the winner!
At weekends, and sometimes after school, the girls will get together to rehearse their songs and what fun they have.
In today's video they give you a song, led by Rukia.

Friday 20 July 2018

Meet the family Auntie Constance

Making school uniforms, playing out clothes, soft furnishings and keep on top of repairs for our huge family at home and at school falls to our seamstress Auntie Constance.
She highly skilled and takes the workload in her stride, ensuring our kids are always neatly turned out.
And like all our staff she  enjoys working at Happy House and does  her job with a smile!
In ths video she talks about her work with Papa Dave.

Thursday 19 July 2018

Meet the family:: Brian Isiaho

Brian was nine when he came into the safe care of Happy House.
He had been identified as a vulnerable child in need of protection ,
Since that time he has grown into a confident, happy and capable young man, knowing he is loved and respected in our Happy House family.
On this blog he takes you to visit his classroom in Happy House school.

Wednesday 18 July 2018

Meet the family: Kidz Club

Every week, on Tuesday and Saturday, the whole Happy House family gets together for Kidz Club. 
The  family meeting is a special time when birthdays are celebrated, family matters discussed and there is always singing.
The kids love a bit of a competition, so its usually a contest of boys v girls.
Often there is a treat of fresh fruit, biscuits or sweets and if we have any visitors they are welcomed to our family.
Kidz Club is a happy time of being together, staff, kids and Mama and Papa, all as one.

Tuesday 17 July 2018

Meet the family: Stephano

Stephano,13, joined our family in 2015 with his sisters Purity and Jessica. After the death of their mum, their sole carer, they had gone to live with an aunt but she was unable to provide for three extra children. They were admitted to place that claimed to be a children's home but where they were treated badly, when their aunt discovered what was happening she approached Happy House to intervene on her behalf. They remain close as siblings while enjoying a childhood and education at Happy House,,

Monday 16 July 2018

Meet the family: Diana

A rescue centre in Mombasa brought Diana and her siblings to join our family in 2016.
John, then 14, Diana, 9, and Daudi, five,  had lived with their grandma after the death of their mum, who was mentally ill.
 When their grandma took ill and died they were taken to the rescue centre in Mombasa, which is meant to be a temporary measure.
They were there for more than a year before Happy House was approached to give them a home and how happy they are to be with us.



Meet the Family Auntie Janet

With our huge family at the Happy House there are piles and piles of washing every day.
There are school uniforms, playing out clothes,sheets, pillowcases, plus all the soft furnishings and curtains that soon get dusty and need regularly freshening up
Auntie Janet is kept busy in the laundry doing the washing and the ironing.
The kids are a great help as they always take their clothes to the laundry - school uniforms when they come  home from school each day, and their playing out clothes from the previous afternoon each morning.
Auntie Janet is very grateful for the two heavy duty washing machines which she has learnt to use and which do save time.
 Here she talks to Papa Dave about her job.







Sunday 15 July 2018

Meet the family: Morphin

Morphin was living on the streets of Mombasa before finding the security of a family at Happy House.
He had been taken into a rescue centre as a temporary measure and from there came to Happy House in 2016.
An articulate little boy , the tricks he had picked up on the streets made him a bit of handful at first but with love, support and a great deal of care, he has become a part of our caring and sharing family and understands that there is no need to keep testing the boundaries.
In today's video he joins our social worker Uncle Ronald to tell you a bit more about himself.
Well done Morphin!

Saturday 14 July 2018

Meet the family: Kids say hello

Songs and greetings from our children today as they have a get together in the kitchen at Happy House.
Our kids introduce themselves , they sing you the songs that we always sing to welcome visitors and to wish them well when they are leaving.
Then they tuck into delicious fresh fruit salad, bursting with goodness, topped with evaporated milk thanks to Papa Dave who bought it as a treat.

Friday 13 July 2018

Meet the Family Uncles Foleni and Cornelius

Two members of staff fall under the spotlight today as we introduce you to two of our Uncles.
Papa Dave pops into the outdoor kitchen to have a chat about baking bread with Uncle Foleni, who  assists our cook Auntie Phillis.
Meanwhile in the garden Uncle Ronald introduces Uncle Cornelius who works in the gardens and who now has some livestock to look after.
A generous man from Malindi, who Papa met when he and Rose went to see if they could get a cut in the price we pay for water, donated 10 chickens to our family.
Uncle Cornelius now has them to keep any eye on, keeping the hen house clean and the birds fed and watered.

Thursday 12 July 2018

Meet the family: Rukia and Said

For any child coming into our care, it is a new and strange world - unlike anything they have known before.
It takes time to settle and to know that they are safe, valued and loved.
And as each of our children has been that new child, they understand how it feels, and do all they can to welcome them and make them feel happy.
Some settle quicker than others, but once they do they absolutely love being a Happy House kid.
Today on our video you meet Rukia and  her brother Said who are introduced by Mama Sue.

Wednesday 11 July 2018

Meet the Family: We're backing England

England's World Cup semi-final clash with Croatia tonight is the top talking point at Happy House.
Football super-fan, Papa Dave, who supports Leeds United, is surrounded by kids who love soccer and, like him, they'll all be cheering England on.
As  their Happy House Mama and Papa are English it's only natural that our kids at home and  their fellow students in school are desperate to see England in the final.
In today's video we meet some of them




Tuesday 10 July 2018

Meet the family Musyoka

Musyoka was just a small boy the eldest of  three siblings who came into our family in 2010.
Their mentally ill mum was unable to care for them and they were following her from place to place with Musyoka the carer for his younger brother, Francis, and baby sister, Mwende. 
 After they had been with us some time we traced their grandfather who came to visit from his home nine hours away and they were able to build a strong and loving relationship with him . 
After six years they were able to go to live with their grandparents, to be close to their mum., but after two years returned home to Happy House.
In today's video Musyoka tells his story..




Thank you St Aidan's

Elizabeth Gomm, our Happy House Auntie Libz,  had a full day with students in St Aidan's CE High School in Preesall, Lancashire.
Four the fourth year running she had been invited to give a presentation on Happy House to each of the six Year 8 forms.
The students took a great interest in our children and the difficulties and tragedies they face before joining our family.
RE teacher, Mrs Diane Cox, introduced Auntie Libz and talked the youngsters about the meaning and importance of empathy.  
Auntie Libz took up the thread throughout her talk and it was clear from their response that the young people really could empathise with our own Happy House kids.
Thank you St Aidan's for having us back once again, for your loyal support of Happy House and to Mrs Joanne Rossall and K7 for sponsoring our the younger of our Stevies.

Monday 9 July 2018

Meet the family: Our littlies

Short, sweet and absolute natural!
The latest in our series of Meet the Family videos just goes to show that when you work with children you just never know what will happen.
The four youngest members of our family are usually all smiles, but point a camera in their direction and ...
They might be serious but we are sure that they will start your week with a smile.



Sunday 8 July 2018

Meet the family: Auntie Millicent

There has been a glitch with our video featuring our wonderful Auntie Millicent, so here it is again for those of you who could not access it. 
It is also available on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/happyhousewatamu/videos/1823594071009001/ 

Meet the family: Saumu Safari

Saumu Safari joined our family at Happy House children's home on Valentines' Day in 2011.
She came with her sisters, Mariam and Rose, and brothers Suleiman and Fred.
They were a sad little group, left alone for long periods of time in a slum and often without food.
They had few clothes, one was running around naked.
Mariam, 8, the eldest, was looking after the other four.
None of the them were going to school.
Neighbours were so worried about the kids they called for help and Happy House was asked to intervene.
Mama Sue and our social worker went out to bring the children safely to their new home and their lives were transformed..
To find out more about the Happy House  visit www.childrenofwatamu.net

Saturday 7 July 2018

Meet the Family: Auntie Millicent

Today we meet Auntie Millicent,  a house auntie, who involved in the day-to-day care of the 73 children living in our family at the Happy House.
One of her responsibilities is ensuring our children have all they need for home and school, - and that includes clothes that fit! 
Once they grow out of something they go to Auntie Millicent and she will find them something in their size from the storeroom - logging very item in or out.  
Everything is donated, or bought with money that has been donated, so accounting for everything, right down to a toothbrush, is our duty to each of those people who work so hard to help us.
Auntie Millicent liaises with Uncle Ronald and Mama on any issues that may arise, including health matters, and with the other house aunties to ensuring they work as a team to give our kids the very best of care in the cleanest and happiest environment.. 


Birthday girl

There was just one birthday to celebrate this week at Kidz Club.
There were greetings and songs to congratulate Purity who is turning 11 - and gifts too, of course.
In the singing contest, which has become a highlight of each Kidz Club, the girls took on the boys.
Auntie Rose was the judge and she chose the boys as the this week's winners

Friday 6 July 2018

Meet the Family: Janet, Evans and Oscar

Three of the first children to come into our family when Happy House opened in 2010, were Janet and her younger brothers, Evans, and Oscar.
At the time we were still waiting for containers from the UK arrive and had little furniture and it was a bit like camping!
The three kids, a tight family unit, have happy memories of those days and the toys they played with.
The youngsters were in need of a home because, after the death of their father, their mother was struggling and unable to keep her family together.
These three  youngsters had been staying with an aunt who looked after them the best she could, but she too was struggling and they came into our safe care.
They settled in straight away, loved school and worked hard.
After a few years it was possible, they went back to live with their auntie but remain within the Happy House attending our school and being actively involved in all we do. 
As she is approaching her final year in secondary school, Janet has returned to Happy House to live for the time being to give her more time to study.
Today, these three young people, the future of our Happy House, talk with Auntie Rose about their lives and their hopes for the future,

Thursday 5 July 2018

Meet our family Auntie Phillis

Cooking for our huge family at home and school falls to our masterchef, Auntie Phillis.
Providing meals for our children at home plus those in school is a massive task adding up to more than 800 meals every day - plus snacks for mid morning break!
Menu planning is essential and Auntie Phillis agrees with Mama  the dishes for each day of the week so that the ordering and shopping can done accordingly.
Having an efficient work space is absolutely essential and Auntie Phillis and her helpers have both an excellent indoor and outdoor kitchen.
The outdoor kitchen was replaced earlier this year when the existing one waS proving unworkable as it was too small, need constant repair and just no longer fit for purpose.
Now Auntie Phillis has a wonderful new space, which is where all the cooking is done, using traditional sofia pots and a wood fueled brick oven.
On today's video, Auntie Phillis and Mama tell you more about the day to day routine of feeding our family and take you on a tour of the kitchen.






Wednesday 4 July 2018

Meet our family: In the garden

Our garden is not only a place where we grow food to help feed our enormous family.
It is also a classroom for our kids.
In our Happy House family children love to help in the garden, cultivating,  sowing, weeding and harvesting crops of fruit and vegetables.
All that is grown goes into our kitchen, so it really doesn't get fresher than that!
Two of our seven greenhouses are run, with guidance, by our children  One by our Happy House Young Farmers Club which is responsible for its upkeep, reporting to Mama and Papa.
Another is looked after by our secondary school agriculture students. Agriculture is an important industry in Kenya and some of these young people may well go on to careers within it.
On our video today, Uncle Ronald gives you a guided tour of the  greenhouses and garden

O


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Tuesday 3 July 2018

Meet the family: Franco

Francis, 19, is a scholarship student at Happy House, but,  for six months he also lived in our care.
His childhood was fragmented after the death of his father and for a time he fled from Watamu when he was not accepted by his mum's new partner. 
He, and five other children, fell into the hands of some people who brought them to Watamu and placed them in a place purporting to be a children's home where they were badly under nourished and treated badly.
Happy House was asked to intervene and it became a temporary home for the kids until they could be reunited with relatives.
Francis, Franco to our family, now lives happily with his grandmother and attends our school on a free place scholarship.
He will finish school at the end of next year,Please watch the video to hear Franco talking about what Happy House means to him,

Fra

Monday 2 July 2018

Meet the family: Auntie Velma

Our Auntie Velma is a someone you will all know  from the emails she sends out.
Auntie Velma is much more than a name on an email, she is a lively, organised and valued member of Mama's team.
Mum to Daisy, Auntie Velma, like Auntie Rose,  is an excellent role model for the girls in our care.
They are independent, clever, women who are succeeding in their careers.
Velma, you will learn, grew up in a big and complicated family! 
She is great with our kids and always has a listening ear when they need one.
We love to hear back from you so if you would like to comment on any of our videos please email Mama Sue  sue@childrenofwatamu.net




Sunday 1 July 2018

Meet the family: Ben

 When our Mama Sue realised her dream of opening her Happy House for children in need, the very first to come into her care was a four year old called Benedict.
He made history that day by becoming the first Happy House kid, many more have followed since and will continue to do so over the years to come.
Benedict's life has been transformed thanks to Mama Sue and in today's video he tells us a bit about himself.
We hope you are enjoying our video series, we would love to hear from you.  Please email sue@childrenofwatamu.net