No sooner had they arrived at Happy House than our visitors were roped into taking part in a test if strength! Amanda and Mark Barron and their daughters Phoebe and Olivia were more than happy to accept an invitation from our kids to take part in a tug of war. Despite the intense heat they gave it their all with Mark pulling on the boys side and Amanda, Phoebe and Olivia adding their muscle to the girls team. They were also treated to a display of acrobatics by our kids.
There was a musical hello waiting for our friends Mark and Amanda Barron and their daughters Phoebe and Olivia when Papa Dave drove them through the gates of Happy House. After waiting so long, the moment was here. The Happy House and its children no longer pictures on a page, or in a video, but for real. The kids singing at the top of their voices to greet our lovely guests. There's nothing quite so magical and so heartwarming as a welcome from our family. It comes full of warmth, full of love and full of excitement. The children and our staff already know from Mama and Papa how the friendship and generosity of the Barron family has brought them so much. It was they who gifted our computer suite and all its equipment, and who have been members of our sponsor family for so long. Now it is our time to show them just how their kindness is making a difference and to share with them our family love and friendship.
Welcome to Kenya! Mama, Papa and some of the Happy House children were excitedly waiting at the airport ready to meet some very special friends - Mark and Amanda Barron and their daughters Phoebe and Olivia. They already feel like family to us, their have been supporting Happy House for a number of years and have always given help when we have needed it. It is thanks to Mark and Amanda we have our new and well equipped computer room at Happy House School - they provided the funding to make it happen. So Mama and Papa were thrilled when they said they would be visiting this summer and were determined to make their arrival very special indeed. We hope Amanda, Mark, Phoebe and Olivia have a wonderful time getting to know our family and seeing for themselves our Happy House and school.
As the term nears an end, all our students are looking forward to the holidays - and also to hearing their exam results. After working hard and revising, students at Happy House School sat their examinations last week. In this video, Mr Duncan, one of or teachers, explains how our classrooms, well equipped and airy, are conducive to learning, giving comfortable conditions for taking exams as well.
Having a laboratory where our science students can do practical experiments is so important at Happy House, And now as our Form Four secondary students are approaching the most important examination of their schooling - the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - the lab provides them with so much. The exams are at the end of next term, so this term's end of term exams are helping them to prepare and as Mr Paul explains, in this video, they are doing their practical exam. Our thanks, as always, to Blackpool Soroptimists who very kindly provided funding to build and equip the laboratory from a trust fund set in the will of one of their members, Christine Walker.
With a family as large as the one we have at Happy House there is always piles and piles of laundry. So when a washing machine conks out it causes more than a bit of a headache for our busy house aunties. We are absolutely thrilled to have a new washing machine, thanks to a very kind donation. Our friends and child sponsors mean so much to all of us, as Mama Sue says in this lovely video.
Our Happy House joiner Uncle Charo is busy making new lockers for the children's rooms. The lockers give each child a place to keep their clothing and possessions and the room captains ensure they keep them tidy! Here Uncle Charo is in his workshop with room captain Stephano. Uncle Charo explains what he is doing and Stephano says thank YOU to all those who support us and ensure that the children in our care have all they need.
Our very first Form Four secondary students will sit the Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education later this year. This will signal the end of their schooling, so very important indeed. Before they can take the exam they all have to be formally registered and their registrations verified. We welcomes Mr. Mwangi, principal at St John's High School, who is the nominated person to take Happy House students through the verification process.
There were two birthdays to celebrate at Happy House Kidz Club at the weekend, Brian Isiaho has just turned 14 while Oscar has reached 13! They each received birthday gifts and greetings. Papa Dave had the honour of handing over the birthday goodies to Brian (top picture) and to Oscar.
In the weekly singing competition between the boys and the girls, the boys were announced as the winners.
Eating melons and pumpkins is double good for our Happy house children. When they have either of these fruits, we collect the seeds so that we can use them to sow our own crop. With any luck we'll get a good harvest and there will be more to eat and more seeds to save!
The youngest member of our Happy House family is on the move. Foundling Victor, who is nine months old, has just started crawling and is getting around fast on all fours. His favourite time is day is when all his "Brothers and sisters" come home from school and everyone is eager to play with him and to praise him. He has such fun. We know it won't be long before he's walking and able to chase about after them.
I hope you have all enjoyed seeing the Happy House children in action. They so enjoyed rehearsing, singing and skipping. The kids are happy and healthy, completely different from when they arrived as sad, sorry, little people. The children keep asking: Has anyone seen our blog? Were we the best, Mama? Of course, I tell them all: Yes, you were the best! If anyone can help us to replace our bus, please do, it is such a big item for us but so very necessary, to bring the children in for the gift of education. Thank you to everyone for your love and support, greatly needed and truly appreciated. Mama Sue and the Happy House family
We need to raise £25,000 to do buy a newer replacement for our 20 year old school bus which is now coming to the end of its life. We hope you will be able to help.
Some
more of our girls today, singing “The mummies on the bus say: I love you".
It is
a perfect song for them as they are all little mummies to the younger children at Happy House, writes Mama Sue.
We never hear anyone crying here at the Happy House.
If a child falls over. there is a "mummy" there immediately, rubbing knees and kissing a little face better.
The little
ones go and sit on another child’s knee for a cuddle when they feel a bit
tired. No matter what the ‘mummy’ is doing, the little one is never refused.
I
always say the Happy House Family is sharing and caring, and it truly is. These
children are bound together with love, and as they say ‘Once a Happy House Kid,
Always a Happy House Kid’
If only the power of such love could keep our bus going!
With our 20 year old bus now a constant drain on
resources as it is always needing repairs to keep it safely on the road, we are
hoping to raise £25,000 to buyer a newer one.
I just love this video of Brian and the boys, writes Mama Sue. They decided by themselves how they wanted to do it. I think the actions are great; we really did Giggle, Giggle, Giggle. When they were rehearsing Brian stopped at the front to do the Giggle,Giggle,Giggle and there was such a pile up behind him. Every child has had such fun. I hope you giggle as much as we have this week, The girls are all stars, with their singing of ‘Parents on the Bus’ go Ssh, Ssh, Ssh. Look at the style and movement. I knew the cat walking as models at our parties would not be wasted. We have such beautiful Happy House kids. I often wonder how and where these children would be without the love and care of the far reaching Happy House Family. With our 20 year old bus now a constant drain on resources as it is always needing repairs to keep it safely on the road, we are hoping to raise £25,000 to buyer a newer one. Donations can be made through Justgiving www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu or Paypal https://www.paypal.me/ChildrenofWatamu
Today we have our Star of the Week here to talk about the state of the Happy house bus, the ever-loved Papa Dave. Papa explains how we have had welding work done on the windscreen and the very poor condition of the seats. The driver’s window does not work properly, it is a good job we don’t have rain very often ! The Government decided that all school vehicles should be painted bright yellow and the name displayed on the side. Yes, the vehicle looks good on the outside, trust me it is all show! It is now so important that we replace our bus, on her last legs, with something newer and more reliable. We need to raise £25,000 to do this. We hope you will be able to help. Donations can be made through Justgiving www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu or Paypal https://www.paypal.me/ChildrenofWatamu We will keep you update throughout the week as you enjoy the fun with the children.
Sometimes, the temperamental old girl doesn’t want to start at 6am in the mornings when she is due to be taken to pick up the kids for school, writes Mama Sue. The bus is mainly used for the scholarship children who travel in from the outlying districts. Their parents cannot afford to feed them every day so the cost of school fees and transport is just impossible. We have around 70 children and young adults who are on the scholarship scheme. What a difference we are making to their lives. Many were on the scrapheap of life when they came to us. They had no education, little food, no shoes, and no hope for the future. Most of them have been with us for the past six years, they are bright well spoken, intelligent well educated young people, with a future to look forward to. Without our being able to supply free transport for these children it would be impossible for them to come to the Happy House School. It is now so important that we replace our bus, on her last legs, with something newer and more reliable. We need to raise £25,000 to do this. We hope you will be able to help. Donations can be made through Justgiving www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu or Paypal https://www.paypal.me/ChildrenofWatamu We will keep you update throughout the week as you enjoy the fun with the children.
As
we start this new week, I hope the Happy
House kids will make you laugh right through until Saturday, writes founder
Mama Sue.
We
are launching an appeal to help us buy a new bus. I talked to the children
about it and they all wanted to join in. They got themselves into groups and
decided what and how they wanted to do their part. Singing of the song‘Wheels on the Bus ‘ was a combined decision.
The kids have rehearsed all week. Every afternoon when they came home from
school, it was a drink of Moringa tea, a quick change and then into rehearsals.
They have laughed, danced and sang their way through the week.
We
will explain about the condition of this 20 year old bus as the week goes on.
Mechanically it is safe, as we always have the repairs done immediately. But now that
there are so many repairs it is becoming a constant expensive.
We
would like to raise £25,000 to enable us to buy a good, strong and more up-to-
date vehicle.
No sooner had they arrived at Happy House than our visitors were roped into taking part in a test if strength!
Despite the intense heat they gave it their all with Mark pulling on the boys side and Amanda, Phoebe and Olivia adding their muscle to the girls team.
Welcome to Kenya!
It is thanks to Mark and Amanda we have our new and well equipped computer room at Happy House School - they provided the funding to make it happen.
With a family as large as the one we have at Happy House there is always piles and piles of laundry.
In the weekly singing competition between the boys and the girls, the boys were announced as the winners.
Eating melons and pumpkins is double good for our Happy house children.
The kids are happy and healthy, completely different from when they arrived as sad, sorry, little people.
It is
a perfect song for them as they are all little mummies to the younger children at Happy House, writes Mama Sue.
