Amanda and Mark Barron, who live with their two daughters, Phoebe and Olivia, in Buckinghamshire, have made a donation to build and equip the suite and Amanda has set up a JustGiving page in the hope that their friends and family will also donate to ensure Happy House has a computer suite that is second to none..
There will be a separate computer port for each student, complete with desk, chair and computer.
They will have room to work and learn, using the latest technology.
This will give our children a head start in the world of work where computer technology is key.
Amanda, who has been sponsoring a child and supporting our charity since hearing about it from her friend, Louisa, some years ago, said: "I love being involved with a charity the size of Happy House because I know exactly how my money is being spent.
" I know that large charities can bring in huge funds and have to spend a lot of that money on advertising and admin but the smaller charity like this one can put every penny towards a child who needs shelter, food, education and most importantly love and security. Sue has created a loving home for children who through no fault of their own have suffered from extreme poverty, neglect, or abandonment. "Thanks to the Happy House, these kids can break the cycle of poverty through education and give back to their villages for the next generation to thrive.
As my friends and family know, I talk a lot about the work the Happy House is doing. I share posts and blogs written by or about the children there.
" I’ve been talking to Sue about what is needed and how we could be more involved. We came to the decision that the children’s education would benefit immensely from an up to date computer suite.
"We have just moved back to the UK from Silicon Valley in California where our own children were being taught in a very technology focused way.
It opened their (and our) eyes to a future that is more and more being changed by innovators and engineers making self driving cars, innovative ways to deliver medicine, shipping and distribution software, bio farming ideas to reduce chemicals, and so much more.
"It would be wrong if this same education was not delivered worldwide so each country can compete and thrive. The wealth divide is much too large and through education we can even the playing field.
"I started the JustGiving page (http://www.justgiving.com/Happyhouseschoolextension)
to hopefully get some of my friends and family to donate to this very worthwhile project .
Amanda, Mark and Phoebe and Olivia are excited to be visiting Watamu next year :"We are so thrilled that we get to visit the Happy House next in summer.
"I have been wanting to make the trip for many years to meet Sue, Dave, the children and others who are a part of the Happy House family.
"By then our daughters will be 14 and 10 and perfect ages to really get a broader picture of the world and it will hopefully encourage their future careers or passions to be global in their thinking. "We are also trying to persuade some of our friends to join us on this exciting trip. Both to introduce them to the Happy house but also join us on safari and to see the beauty of Kenya.
"It will be wonderful to see the computer suite completed when we visit.
"I know the new computers will prove a very useful tool for the kids in all stages of their school career. I hope the children enjoy using them in their lessons and that it gives them a window to the rest of the world whenever they’d like it.
Amanda was born in Calgary Canada but says she was never a great fan of being cold!
"I have 2 brothers and my parents have always been very loving and supportive and never tried to stop me when I went travelling on my own to Australia for a year.
"I then moved to England - where my dad is originally from - and after a few years of working in Human Resources, worked in HR at Taylor Wessing where I met Mark. We married in 2003,
"Mark was born in London and went to school throughout the UK as his dad was a C of E vicar that took him to posts in inner cities.
"Raised in a very loving home, Mark did well in school. He went to Manchester University and then travelled around the world for five years teaching English as a foreign language.
"He came back to the UK and went to law school. He has been practicing as a Corporate Technology lawyer at the same firm, Taylor Wessing, for the last 20 years.
"Olivia was born is August 2005 (in London) then in 2007 we moved to Bath. Phoebe was born in February 2009.
" I ran a small party business until we moved to California for a 4 year contract with Mark’s firm. We are now back in the UK - for good I think! "
We are so very grateful to Mark and Amanda Barron for making this computer suite possible and for their faith in and support for the work being done by Mama Sue and our charity in Watamu.They are investing the the future of our children and giving them the opportunity go on to help change their community and their country.
Thank you.
