When she was building her Happy House Mama Sue dreamt of a children's home like no other.She wanted to give a loving family home to kids like those she'd seen abandoned, abused or suffering from living in extreme poverty.In her care they would grow an flourish, like weak little seedlings, given the right care, they'd bloom into strong and bright flowers.
Mama Sue wanted to make a difference to the lives of children.For one little boy Mama Sue and her Happy House arrived at precisely the right time - a year later and his fate would have been so very different.
David, now 10, came to us towards the end of our first year. He'd been abandoned at Malindi Hospital by his mum, who was HIV positive and alcohol dependent, who later died from Aids,He was two months old when the hospital released into our care, he'd arrived two months early, was tiny, and a always floppy baby.As Mama says in this video we sought the best medical help we could find but no one could quite pinpoint what was wrong, but suggested it could be Downs Syndrome. He was 11 months when some doctors at a specialist centre told her just to take him home and love him, because we wouldn't have him long.But at Happy House we don't give up that easily.Where we know there's a spark we'll turn it into a flame.And that is the case with David, whose most recent exam results show just how far he has come and how, with extra care and attention, he really can achieve.
What could have happened to David all those years ago doesn't bear thinking about so instead we'll carry on looking ahead with the excitement of watching him grow.
