Saturday 3 December 2011

A wider influence

The Happy House leaves a lasting impression on anyone who has been
fortunate enough to visit it.
All are sorry when it is time to leave and it was particularly sad for
trainee social worker, Hermadi, who has been with us, working alongside
our Uncle Billy, for the past three months.
Hermadi has learnt so much from Billy, a very experienced social worker,
and from the innovative practices and approaches that Sue has adopted to
produce such an excellence of residential childcare.
Hermadi has really got to know our kids, he knows their backgrounds and
how they have suffered in the past, and has forged real bonds with them.
He has done so much to help, learning and growing as a person in the
process. He was particularly pleased to be involved in working out the
programmes of exercises for baby David, who has Downs Syndrome, and to
see how, in just a few weeks, his strength and responses are already
improving.
He says being at the Happy House will have a lasting impact on him and
has given him a greater understanding of children and also of what it is
possible to achieve.
Sue thanked him on behalf of the family for all he has done and wished
him well in the future.
Volunteer Kelsey Nichols from the USA was also leaving this weekend
after a month here.
She's studying at university in New York which also has its own set up
in Kenya. A month working with a community was the final part of her
studies in Africa and so she asked to help at the Happy House. She has
been so popular with the kids and was sorry to be leaving.
She has been a valuable help in school and wherever else she was needed,
and was thanked by Sue on behalf of the family.
Hermadi and Kelsey have our love and good wishes as they go forward with
their own lives and careers and we know they won't forget us!