Pride of place at Happy House

When Mama Sue built her Happy House children's home she wanted it to be a really beautiful family home. She believes that only the best is good enough for children, in every aspect of their lives. And the children in her care understand how much it means to her and having a beautiful home is important to them too. Here Diana tells us how she and some of her friends are tidying and raking the grounds to ensure they look the best they can.

Planting maize

When the rains come in Kenya everyone has their own little piece of ground where they will have planted maize. Maize flour is a staple food, used to make ugali, so being able to grow your own is important to all. At Happy House some of our boys found space in the plot where they are raising a healthy crop of pumpkins to plant some maize seeds. They enjoy corn on the cob so that's probably how it will be eaten. Here Edward is our presenter as he works in the garden with Harry and Lucky.

Every day is wash day at Happy House

With almost 60 children in the family, the Happy House aunties have an huge amount of laundry to get through - every single day. So at weekends the older kids like to give them a hand. Here Jacinta, along with Vidzo, Mwende and Gift, are all busy in the laundry getting the school uniforms ready for their "brothers and sisters".

Shining examples!

Saidi and friends wanted to help their uncles at Happy House by cleaning the vehicles. As it is weekend, the kids at time on their hands and they always like to help out where they can. And give a little boy a bucket of water and a cloth and he's in his element.

Awaiting results

Children in school at Happy House have just been having exams.

In this video Priscilla tells us more about them and how, at the time, they were eagerly awaiting the results. 

Good luck everyone.

An update from Musyoka

Musyoka was has returned to Happy House, as we reported in a recent blog, After being in our care since being a small boy he had returned to live with his grandfather which, for some time, worked out well. But more recently he has found himself struggling, particularly with schooling and some other problems. He is now very happy to in the Happy House family again and tells us how he is adapting to what is familiar, but very different, way of life.

Excited to be going to Class Eight

Happy House kid, Husna, is looking forward to her final year year in Primary education. She joins Class Eight in July and candidate for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams/ It's an important time and the gateway to secondary education. Husna is always determined in what she does and we like to see such spirit in our young people and will definitely change her life through education. These kids who once had no hope in life now know that they have hope and opportunity to do well in life. It is through the support of our friends who believe in the work that Mama Sue does that enables us to make a difference in the lives of these children who were abandoned, abused or living in extreme hardship. Thank you sponsors for what you do

Gathering firewood

Gathering firewood is something our children at Happy House really enjoy. They go around our compound looking for any sticks that are suitable for burning and pile them high. The wood is used in the outdoor kitchen to fuel our bread oven - and the children all love freshly baked bread!

Planting morninga

We have often talked about the huge health benefits of moringa. It grows wild in Kenya and is rich in vitamins. At Happy House, the children have morninga tea every day and the leaves are added to meals cooked in our kitchens. Getting through so much, we always need fresh sources so we grow it from seed. Here are some of our children who are about to start planting.

Making masks

Some of our youngest children in Happy House School have been busy making masks. Janet a former Happy house kid who is now training to be a teacher whilst working as a teaching assistant in our school , presents this video. She tells us how the children are enjoying being creative and looking forward to finishing their project so that each child will have a completed mask.

Tyre race

Old tyres come in very handy at Happy House and have all kinds of uses. We use them as swing seats in the adventure playground and they are also handy for playtime. Our boys and girls like to race them down the compound using up lots of energy but nobody ever gets tyre-d out!

Power to the pumpkin

Our Happy House kids absolutely love pumpkins - growing them and eating them! Pumpkin soup is a favourite on our family's menu and it tastes all the better because of the time and effort the children put into growing them from seed. Here Morphin is our garden guide.

Mwende: "At home there were many difficulties"

Mwende was only two when she first came into our Happy House family because of troubles in her family. After several years, and many visits home, she returned to live with her grandparents but things didn't work out there as much as they love each other. Food was short and the school that she went to has very few resources. Mama Sue felt it was better for her to return to her adopted family at Happy House, which is what Mwende truly wanted and she has continued to thrive and do well at school and home ever since.

Baraka: "We thank our sponsors for their love and generosity"

​Baraka Francis and his younger brother, Steve, are growing up at Happy House with the certain knowledge they are loved. 

When they came to into our care eight years ago it was from a life of extreme hardship, with little to eat, tattered clothing and no hope of going to school.

Happy House has given them a childhood full of hope and opportunity as Baraka tells us.

Morphin: "Mama Sue rescued my life"

Used to life on the streets, Morphin, knew now boundaries when he came into the care of Happy House. He was eight years old.

It took time, patience, guidance and a great deal of love to get him to realise that his behaviour was unacceptable and this was a place where he was safe with a comfortable bed and three meals a day.

He had no need to steal, and where good manners and respect were given to given to children and adults alike.

Five years on,  he is now very much a part of our big and happy family and Morphin is growing up a happy, helpful and well-adjusted young man.

Oscar: "Happy House gives me a great future"

The Happy House has been Oscar's home since it opened in 2010. One of the first children to come int the care of Mama Sue and the children's home she had dreamed of creating, he was with his older siblings, Janet and Evans. They have remained a family within a family and share a close bond. Janet has finished her schooling and is now studying to be a teacher, whilst working at Happy House School, and Evans is working as a trainee manager at Happy House whilst studying management Just turned 16, Oscar is about to embark on his high school studies and looking forward to a "great future" conscious that it is all down to Mama Sue, the Happy House and the kindness of those people who support the charity she founded and sponsor our children.

Jacinta: "I want to make everybody proud"

Jacinta arrived at Happy House in 2014, as a seven year old. She and her younger sister, Florence, were in need of a caring home and that is what Mama Sue and her Happy House provides. Growing up at Happy House has brought her so much as she says in this video and, as she is about to embark on her high school education, she wants to continue to make Mama Sue, the Happy House family and all those who support it, proud of her.

Brian: "I was welcomed with open arms"

As an 11 year old, Brian was enduring a very difficult time in care of relatives and had no idea what it was like to have a worry free childhood. He came into our care at Happy House, in 2014. and was welcomed "with open arms" by our founder Mama Sue. He is now a confident and capable young man, enjoying school, and a very good role model to his young "brothers" and "sisters".

Husna: "I am thankful to Mama Sue"

Husna is thankful for all she has gained since joining the Happy House family in 2014 along with her younger brother, Hussein. Not only does she have a big and joyful family of siblings, she also has the best mentor in Mama Sue and a wonderful education. Husna, who tells us about herself in this video, is glad that she has discovered the importance of nice manners and "good words". Mama Sue puts great emphasis to staff and children on being polite and never forgetting to say please and thank you.

Musyoka: "Always a Happy House kid"

Once a Happy House kid, always a Happy House kid. Every child who passes through our doors knows when Mama Sue tells them that, she means it. For some of the youngsters who we have, when circumstances permitted, repatriated to relatives after spending time in our care, things do not always work out. Musyoka had been back with his grandpa but has found that his most recent school could not provide the education he knew, from Happy House, that he hoped for. So he contacted Mama Sue to ask if he could return to our care and was overjoyed when he said that he could provided that he worked hard to catch up.

Priscilla: "I would like to be a lawyer"

Priscilla had lived in hardship, with little family love, when as a six year old she was brought into care. At Happy House she discovered what a real childhood should be like without worry, freedom to play, friendship, family and love. She is doing well at school and aiming high wanting, one day, to be a lawyer.

Rukia: "I am so grateful for Happy House"

Rukia, 16, has blossomed from a shy child into a confident young woman since joining our family at the Happy House shortly after we opened in 2010. 

She had been living with her impoverished grandmother in Malindi who, try as she might, was unable to meet the needs of a small child. Rukia's half-brother, Saidi, then three, joined her at Happy House shortly after her arrival. 

They have maintained a strong bond with their grandma.

 Here Rukia starts a series of videos in which some of our Happy House kids tell us about themselves and how Happy House has changed their lives.

Birthday trio

Three of our Happy house kids are are celebrating birthdays. Lucky is just turning 10, Brian is now 11 and Priscilla is 14. They are much loved members of our family and love their Mama Sue as much as she loves them!

A game of netball

Netball is a popular game with our students at Happy House School. This video is presented by Happy House kid, Jacinta, who has just finished her class eight primary and has moved on to secondary education. She is watching her friends from our school play a match.

Computers are key

Computers are key to the education we offer at Happy House School. They enhance our teaching and by giving children, from the youngest age group upwards, a thorough grounding in IT we are helping prepare them for the workplace of the future. Here we join Mr Nasri, a former Happy House kid himself, who is taking a lesson in our purpose built computer suite.

A happy place to be

A newcomer to Happy House School is Emily. She is loving being in her new school where education is delivered in an inspirational and happy way.

Happy House baby class

Starting school is such a huge milestone in a child's life and Happy House our little ones settle in in no time. Caring teachers and a busy environment. with lots of play focused activities, ensures that every day is a happy one.

Learning about water

Water is one of our planet's most precious resources and in Kenya, as in the whole of Africa, it is never wasted. Here, we join our Pre Primary Class 1 at Happy House School and their teacher, Madam Brenda, for a glimpse of a lesson all about water, where it comes from and what it is used for.

Making the grade

Grade 3 Primary at Happy House School are enjoying getting ready for their next exams. In this video, teacher Madam Esther explains how they are now focusing on the upcoming exams - a regular feature on the Kenya curriculum. She says that her students really enjoy and appreciate the wide variety of resources available to them in Happy House School.

Time for learning

Time is the subject of a lesson at Happy House School with maths teacher, Madam Mercy. Grade 1 Primary students are learning about time using resources available in their text books but also with educational videos sourced from the internet. The combined use of material fires the imaginations of young brains and we have seen a real improvement since introducing Smart TVs and internet-enriched lessons into every subject area. For our children, education is the route out of poverty and we are forever grateful to those who support us and make possible the high standard of education we can provide.