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Contact Details
Sue Hayward
Castlemere Hotel
13 Shaftesbury Avenue
North Shore
Blackpool FY2 9QQ
Tel & Fax (0044) 01253 352430
Reg. Charity No.1098731
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Latest News:
Work has started on Happy House weekly updates
An Important Date for your Diaries -
Saturday 1st November 2008
Nyumbani UK to support The Happy House
Tenti Kalama has unfortunately died from malaria.
Kids Need Text Books
Kris Marshall - Visiting the Happy House
Well known British actor Kris Marshall took time out of his holiday to get acquainted with Nyumba Ya Raha – The Happy House here is his story.
If you have never visited the small village and resort of Watamu, you really must add it your list of things to do before you die! The beach is amazing. The parties over Christmas and New Year are legion, but I chose to get some rest after weeks in a West End play that ended in September.
Having heard so much about the Happy House project, I made a point of visiting the site whilst I was in Watamu. There are so many orphans in the surrounding area, the victims of both AIDS and Malaria. The old traditions whereby orphans are taken in by extended family are breaking down in the face of extreme poverty in some communities. Children are often left alone, begging for food and shelter. In the UK it would be major scandal if such a thing happened.
Two British charities, The Children of Watamu and Nyumbani UK have joined together to build a place where 72 children will have a safe place to sleep and a hearty breakfast to wake up to. Heh - I like the idea of the hearty breakfast! Any room for a big kid?
I met Sue Hayward from the Children of Watamu charity. Now here is one dynamic lady! She has refurbished one school and built two others in Watamu such that 700 children aged three to eighteen now get a full time education.
Silas is the headmaster of the school and he is clearly an influential guy. He got his grandfather to donate 4 acres of good land to allow the Happy House to be built. I met Grandpa Ya on the site. What a character he is.
I stayed in Watamu with my girlfriend’s parents. Kelly’s father, Stuart Eastwood is the chairman of Nyumbani UK and has been raising funds for Kenyan children in need for years. Whilst I was there, he gave us the great news came that The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation had pledged $100,000 so apparently the Happy House is now close to 50% funded. The cost of building the new home will be £180,000 by the time all the tiles are on and bunk beds have arrived. So more money is needed and every pound makes a difference.
What I like about this whole undertaking is the way it is being managed. Funds are carefully controlled and wisely spent. I look forward to coming back next year to see how everything is progressing. The day the doors open will ensure that many children in need will pass through and they will be happy kids in a happy house. How exciting will that be?
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