Children Of Watamu

Hi Everyone,

If you have any news or information please contact us. sue@childrenofwatamu.net

24th November 2008

A group of students from Lytham St. Annes Technical College, some of who are pictured here will be travelling to Watamu in July 2009 to help at school, have been doing such a great job of fundrasing for the Charity. A teachers car wash raised £107, a bag pack at the local Sainsburys store raised a fanastic £513. They also have many more events organised including Lytham has Talent. The money will be used towards  buying equipment for a laboratory in the Secondary School at Watamu.

5th November 2008

Thank you to everyone who came to our Charity Race Night here in Blackpool on the 1st of November, it was a great success. A good time was had by all. Due to donations large and small from people who were unable to attend and the proceeds on the night a fantastic £4,200 was raised. We are now eligible for a matched donation of £3,500 from the Abbey Bank. Making a grand total of £7,700.

Thank you to everyone.

Christmas Wish List

14th October 2008 - In January 2008 Les Lilley a guest at Turtle Bay Beach Club asked Sue if he could visit school. He really enjoyed his time with the children and decided to become a sponsor. He was asked if he would take the responsibility of 2 children at 50% sponsorship each. Les agreed whole heartedly. Juma and Eliza were the two children in most need of support at that particular time. Les explained to Sue that he was in his 80's but wanted to make sure the education of 'his' children would continue for them to complete their education. Les paid Sue the school fees until 2012. Les is such a caring thoughtful man

This week Les returned to Turtle Bay knowing it was Eliza's birthday. Rose who runs the Sponsored Child scheme in Watamu for the Charity, bought clothes with money given by Les  for both Eliza and Juma for Les to give to them. A cake, sweets and juice were given to all the children in the class.

Thanks for caring Les.

 

6th October 2008 -Earlier in the year Sue made an application to Zurich Community Trust for £10,000  to help with the building of the Happy House. We are delighted to say it has been successful. This amount of money will go a long way towards the completion of the Happy House. When the building work is complete we will need to furnish the rooms and purchase all the items needed to run the Happy House. A Generator, Kuni boilers,  beds, mosquito nets kitchen items and so much more. Please have a look at our Wish List, you maybe be able to help. We have items from £1.  If we all had one Christmas present from the Wish List we could together change lives.

6th October 2008 - Sue applied to the Jephcott Charitable Trust for help with the Happy House. Lady Jephcott called Sue to say the Trust wanted to help but not with a building. It was decided that Sue could apply for the cost of solar panels, this was also a successful application and £18,000 has been received.  We can make the Happy House completely 'Green' with regard to lighting, hot water. The Kuni Boilers wil burn anything and everything to heat the water. The generator will be a back up system, we cannot have lots of little people at night with no light. We also need to keep bills to a minimum when we are up and running.

Please visit our page regarding the New Sponsored Child Scheme to read how you can help a Happy House Kid to be truly Happy.

 

5th October 2008

Sue Martin who sponsors Christopher, one of the children in class 1, decided she would do the Great North Run to raise funds for the Happy House. Sue completed the race in 2 hours 34 mins, 4 mins faster than last year.  I am delighted to say Sue raised an amazing £500.  Love the Tee shirt Sue!

 

 

 

16th September 2008 - Whilst I was in Watamu came the fantastic news that The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation has given The Happy House $100,000, an amazing sum and our biggest donation by far.  When Stuart Eastwood, the chairman of our partners, Nyumbani UK, called to tell me, I can tell you I just broke down and wept.  Coca-Cola is a big company in Africa – well it is everywhere I suppose – and they put so much back into helping communities.  On behalf of all the friends of The Happy House, I cannot thank them enough

27 August 2008 Just Giving and the Children of Watamu

I am pleased to announce that we have now registered the charity with Just Giving www.justgiving.com/childrenofwatamu This is such a perfect way for people to donate and fund raise.  Find out how Dr  Steve Cushing and  Sue Martin are using Justgiving and also how you can help the the Children Of Watamu by using Just Giving. Please follow this link to see our just giving page

24th August 2008

Brenda & Red Groves and their grand daughters, Cloe, Lucy and Grace visited Turtle Bay Beach Club. Brenda sponsors two children at school, Joy & Bevis. The girls are pictured here with the lots of useful  items and clothes they had taken for the children.

Also pictured is Rose a Trustee of the charity who handles the Sponsored Child Scheme at school. Click On the Image to see larger view

Thank you Brenda for all you support throughout the year with fund raising events

18th August 2008

Stuart Eastwood the Chairman of Nyumbani UK is in Watamu . Stuart, is very supportive of our work on the Happy House. Please see our news item on the 2nd of June 2008.

Yesterday Stuart visited the site and met Silas and Dixon the contractor to see for himself the work that is taking place. The Nyumbani UK board of trustees voted unanimously to help and have pledged £30,000 with the possibility or more funds in due course. Today I received and email from Stuart to say that Coca-Cola Africa Foundation has pledged £54,000 over the next 3 years.

Thank you Stuart for your continued support it is greatly appreciated and much needed.

18th August 2008

In February I emailed the education section Oxford University Press, to ask if there was any possibility of being supplied with educational books for our children.

Graham Anderson the International Sales manager replied saying he would be delighted to send some books for our library. A box of around 40 beautiful books arrived. English books, science, dictionaries, lovely ABC banners for the baby classes. Inside the carton was a note to say more books would follow. Imagine my amazement when I got an email from Yvonne Carlton in the distribution department asking if they could deliver 6 pallets of books weighing 2 and half tons!! A total of 6,302 brand new  books for our children from the Oxford Reading Tree series which is used in over 80% of UK primary schools and in over 100 countries around the world.

 We were astounded at the generosity of this company. It has been organised for the books to be delivered directly to MSC Shipping Company, Ipswich who will ship the books to Mombassa. We can then make arrangements for the cartons to be collected. I will publish pictures of the books arriving at school.

This donation means that we will be able to help so many children to be able to read. Not only the children at our school but many others schools in the Watamu area will now benefit from this kind gesture. As we know education is the road out of poverty for these children, if kids can read kids can learn.

Thanks for caring to all at Oxford University Press.

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11th August 2008

Earlier in the year I was emailed by Stewart Bulpitt who was preparing to visit Turtle Bay Beach Club with his wife Lisa and children Hannah 12 and Olivia 8. The family took lots of very useful items with them for our children. During their visit they spoke to Rose who handles the Sponsored Child Scheme at school, and decided they too would like to sponsor. A little girl called Shani was chosen, being the same age as Olivia. The family are pictured here with Silas our Headmaster and Mr Yaa the Librarian. The girls enjoyed visiting our beautiful Baby class.

11th August 2008

Dr. Cushing explained that he was in training for the Marathon de Sables www.saharamarathon.co.uk and  by doing so would like to raise funds to equip the Happy House. For the uninitiated this event is described as the toughest foot race on earth!! It is a multi day (6/7 day )  event covering a distance of 150 miles in the Sahara desert. The longest run is a 50 mile day!  Stephen will need to carry all he needs to survive - water is provided each day and a tent at night. The temperatures will be anything from 40 to 50 deg.C during the day, but drop to 5deg C. at night.

Last year Stephen took part in the Inaugural Antarctic Ice Marathon raising a resounding £30,000 for Cancer Research. To be his chosen charity this year is fantastic for us and the children.

Please visit Stephen's blog at www.stevecushing.blogspot.com It is very interesting to read the preparations he is making regarding training ,clothing and food Also regular updates regarding sponsorship.

Can help Steve Cushing to help our future Happy House Kids? No!! You don't have to go with him, just sponsor!

11th August 2008
Dorothy and George Barr have enjoyed sponsoring Martin for over 2 years. Due to their kindness and generosity not only did Martin receive a bicycle but also 5 other children. Dorothy brought her great niece Beverly to meet me who is also interested in sponsoring. Beverly is delighted to be able to help and is also raising funds at the nursery where she works as a Manager to sponsor another child as well as her 'own'.

 

11th August 2008
Sue Martin has sponsored one of our children, Christopher, for the past two years. Sue has always been very supportive in all aspects of our work. So when she told me she was doing very well with her children's clothes collection for the future Happy House kids with the support of the Espom Allsorts ladies Running Club it was great news. Even better news to hear  that she was coming to stay with us in Blackpool and bring her very large collection. It was a thrill to meet Sue after only every chatting on the email. Sue also bought lots of lovely new clothes for 'her' Christopher. I shall be visiting Watamu in September so I will be able to give the clothes to Christopher and send Sue the pictures of a very happy little boy! 

Thanks for caring Sue

8th August 2008

It was decided to ask Chris Franklin to join us on the Board of Trustees. I delighted that he has accepted the offer.

Chris contacted me in December 2007 asking if he could help with our work, as his skills lie in IT and video work. Chris & his wife Helie came to Watamu to meet Dave & I in February 2008, even though flights had been cancelled due to the post election problems.

 It was decided that Chris would take over the website in March and the improvements have been fantastic, as I am sure regular visitors will agree. The number of hits have rocketed from all over the world due to his expertise.

I am going to ask Chris to tell his side of this story, about being involved with our work.

Thanks Chris from your fellow Trustees & The Children of Watamu

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Students Pass the Test of Love

Article by Elizabeth Gomm from the Blackpool Gazette

Inspired by Sue Hayward's charity quest which, in eight years, has transformed lives by rebuilding a school to provide 21st century education to more than 600 children in Watamu, Lytham St Annes High Technology College plans to take a party of 20 sixth formers there as volunteers.  follow to read more

1st July 2008

I have had some terribly sad news from school  that one of our beautiful children, Tenti Kalama has unfortunately died from malaria. Tenti died on the 28th of June and he would have been 8 on the 29th June. His Mum Christine is devastated, and needed to be sedated in hospital. She has two other children aged 5 and 3.

I write and speak so much about  malaria, aids and other diseases that the people of Watamu have to deal with on a day to day basis, and how much they need our help. Now that Tenti has died from malaria, a happy little boy I know well, it really brings it home how fragile the fabric of  life really is for so many children. I am so desperately sad for the loss of one of our own children. Follow to see larger photo of Tenti

1st July 2008

I recently met Linda Stubbs, whose family owns an international removals business in Lytham Lancashire. www.stubbsintmovers.com  I am delighted to say that Linda has offered us free storage space until we are ready to ship out to Watamu again. This is fantastic news, any of you who have been participating in the Children's Clothes collection we now have the room to take them of your hands. I am also going to target companies that may be able to supply the many items needed to run the Happy House, from Electrical goods to prams and cots etc. Do you work at a place that could donate anything to help us, toiletries, nappies sheets toys. We desperately need so much, but the more we can have donated the more it helps us to use the funds raised to build.

If you can help in any way please let us know

Make a donation

18th June 2008

Elizabeth Gomm and Silas
headmaster of SDA School Watamu

Elizabeth Gomm, is a journalist for the Blackpool Gazette newspaper. I was interviewed by Elizabeth last year regarding our work with the children. The article she wrote really lifted the profile of the charity. Elizabeth has continued to be very supportive. In February Elizabeth said she had nominated me for Clarins Most Dynamisante Woman of the Year Award. I was thrilled to think that someone thought I deserved such as award. Clarins began their search in January 2008 in conjunction with the Mail on Sunday You Magazine. The aim is to recognise the action and commitment of exceptional British women who work tirelessly to help sick or underprivileged children across the globe. Imagine my delight at being nominated for such a prestigious award. I received a letter in April to inform me that I was in the last 8 and would I attend an all expenses paid interview in London. Unfortunately, I did not win the prize money of £30,000, but I did receive a donation of £1,000 towards our work. In May I received another letter from Clarins to invite me to the presentation evening at number 11 Downing Street on the 17th of June. It was a lovely evening. It was very special to meet the other 6 finalists, and this years winner, also, the previous winners since the award was started 7 years ago. I enjoyed listening to all the stories of what these amazing women have done to help children. We hear so much on the news about violence, robberies and neglect, but there are so many good people out their doing so many different things to help others who are usually unknown to them. Congratulations to everyone I think you are all Winners.

During a visit to Watamu I was very pleased to be invited by Councilor Abraham, to the Eden Roc Hotel in Malindi to meet Gideon Mungaro the Member of Parliament for the Malindi and Watamu area. Gideon was very impressed and interested in our work, so interested in fact that he changed his intinery for the following day to be able to come to school and see for himself what has been achieved for the Children of Watamu. Gideon arrived with lots of press and television reporters. I was interviewed for the CNN news programme. Gideon told us that he was organising a Home Coming Tour at the end of August and beginning of  September. It is wen he will travel around his constituency to thank everyone who voted for him. He asked if he could lay the Foundation Stone for the Happy House as one of his engagements during the tour. We felt honoured to be included. The intinery is still be organised but hopefully it will happen the first week in September.

Story with extra photos and video

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Update 2nd June

Nyumbani UK to support The Happy House

Late last year, Sue was put in touch with met with Jann and Stuart Eastwood who have had a home in Watamu for many years. 

Stuart, born in Nairobi and a Kenyan citizen, retired in 2000 after managing the East and West Africa division of a major US multinational. Whilst he was traveling the continent, Jann, a nurse by profession, turned her hand to assisting Nyumbani, a leading Kenyan charity targeted at children living with HIV. Over the last eight years, spending some three months annually in UK, they have raised significant sums in support of the Nyumbani projects in Kenya.

Concerned that children on the north Kenya coast needed more help than they were perhaps getting, Jann and Stuart were looking for a suitable project to support in addition to all the help that they continue to offer Nyumbani.  After meeting Sue, and talking through the concept of the Happy House project, they presented a case to Nyumbani UK, a British registered charity of which Stuart serves as the current chairman.  The Nyumbani UK board of trustees voted unanimously to help and have pledged £30,000 with the possibility or more funds in due course.

“Jann and Stuart bring loads of Kenyan experience and that will be invaluable, “says Sue. “We are thrilled that Nyumbani UK is to help bring our Happy House to fruition. With the assurances that they have given to us, we can now proceed with the construction project knowing that more than half the capital we need is pledged.”

Between Sue and Stuart, the construction will be carefully monitored and funds raised will be properly spent.  “Every pound we raise in UK is golden pound” Sue added.  “We are all volunteers and apart from audit fees, our admin costs are virtually nothing”.

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Update 13th May

Rest of the News From Sue

Kenya has now settled down again after the post election riots. Watamu never saw any of these violent outbursts. If you are thinking of visiting Watamu I can assure you of a beautiful and peaceful time. Turtle bay beach Club is a lovely all-inclusive hotel. www.turtlebay.co.ke

In December 2007 we received a terrific donation from a Polymer Manufacturing Company based in Wollaston, Northants. What is different about this company is that the shares of the operating company are held by a registered charity called Scott Bader Commonwealth Limited, and a proportion of the profits go to the charity each year. People that work for the company become members of the charity and from the funds available the charity seek to support community based projects in different locations around the world, particularly where they have a presence. Thankfully for us when we sent a copy of our DVD about the Happy House to them they appreciated what we are trying to do and wanted to help and be part of this special project. Their  donation has enabled us to start the basics of phase one of the Happy House project etc. for this we are extremely grateful to them.

With this money we have erected  a fence around the Happy House land. The well is now being dug. Never had a well before, so I kept going to look down it!  Two guys are digging this well by hand. As they hit hard coral they set a fire on it and leave it to burn for maybe 5 days, after which time it is brittle and breaks easily. There is a well nearby which is around 25 feet deep. We hope to reach water around the same depth. The walls inside the well are being built in the coral that is dug out. We are going to build a water tower with a storage tank to hold around 200 litres of water. A pump will be fitted inside the well to fill the tank.  This water will be used for flushing the toilets, washing, cooking and watering the gardens. The well will be sealed so we don't lose any kids!! 

Make a donation

We are now starting a children's clothes collection, for children from birth to 10 years. Clothing the Happy House kids will be a big item. I know you all have beautiful children's clothes that you didn't know what to do with, well now you do!!  We are also looking for anything that will help babies and very young children to learn. Items that their little minds can be stimulated by. Flash cards, colours, shapes, and educational toys. Anything that helped your children to learn will of course help ours. We do not have collections points at the moment, but if you can tell me you are collecting, when we are ready to ship out we will contact you will details.

Sadly, in January 2008 Graham Warren was shot and killed during a burglary at his home. His wife Chris contacted me to say that a memorial service was being organised for Graham and instead of flowers Chris had asked family and friends for donations towards our work with the children. I am so grateful to them both as the fund has raised £1,500. It will be such a great help  towards our work for the Happy House Kids. Chris and her daughter Sam have all my admiration to be able to think of the plight of others during this terribly sad time in their lives.

In February Dave and I were delighted to have meet Chris and Helie Franklin at Turtle Bay Beach Club. They had been in touch with us before we left the UK in January. Chris wanted to come to Watamu to see what he could do to help us with our work for the children, as his specialty is video, photographs and websites. We have Chris to thank for our fantastic new website and promotional DVD. Chris & Helie sponsored two of our children, bought bicycles ad made a substantial donation towards the Happy House. Thank you both so much See some of Chris's photos on our FACEBOOK Page

Nick Thomas is starting a Sponsored Slim and intends to lose 3st.  by the 25th of September 2008. Here are the links for Nick. If you can support him please do.

Latest - Nick is pleased to report that he weighted in today at 19st 1lb , very  nearly 2st loss all but 1lb so a very successful week on that side. plus a total up of the money raised so far is £563.50 with still more promised, so he is well pleased with all the support he is getting from friends and family.
Update 9th June within the last two weeks Nick has lost another 3 lbs.
Week 2 Nick Thomas loses another 2lb!!
Week 1 Nick Thomas loses 6lb but raises £200!