The Good Life Orphanage

Over the past three months we have found that although there is a recession here in the UK & Ireland, people are still continuing to support us by organising various fundraising events.

 The pupils of Guardian Angels School brought in storybooks, the result was ten books of the most beautiful books suitable from babies up to ten year old children, We managed to bring two cases full of books out to Kenya so far and the children were amazed with them, second-hand books in Kenya often cost more than a days wages so they really appreciate them.

We are so lucky to count Mary Grady & Caroline Winder from the MTS School of Theatre in Manchester as our supporters, on 1^st March 2009 they organised a wonderful Dance Extravaganza and all the proceeds came to The Good Life Orphanage. The hard work and dedication by all these young people who gave up their time to help the less fortunate makes us feel very privileged.

And again Father Jim Clarke and his parishioners from St Anne’s Church in Fairfield, Manchester had the Lenten Friday Soup & Roll Lunches with the proceeds going to The Good Life Orphanage. Every Friday during Lent Father Jim and the ladies in the parish brought their home made soup, scones and cakes into the Parish Centre and for a donation you could have as much as you want. They never cease to amaze us with the amounts they collect for our charity.

 One of the parishioners from Guardian Angels R.C. Church in Bury ran the Wilmslow Half Marathon for us on 29^th March, he picked up a calf injury the previous week but still managed to complete the 13 mile course in 2hrs exactly, remembering that Andrew celebrated his 50^th Birthday a few months ago (he actually asked for money to be donated to the orphanage instead of presents on that occasion), he finished 2663^rd out of 4000. For anyone who does not know Andrew he is wearing No3774 in the photo below.

 

Then on Sunday 17^th May Kevin, Emma, Jill, Adele & Anne all joined Gebrselassie and 33,000 other runners on the 10km Manchester Run. It was a wonderful occasion for the City of Manchester and all money raised by our five runners went directly to The Good Life Orphanage. 

 

We would be completely lost without this continuing support and just want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone involved.

 

Extract from Jackie’s email – 28th May 2009

 “We got the twins (boys) from Kilifi. Julius and Yusuf Kazungu.  They

come from a family of seven.  The eldest boy is 17 years, then a girl

who is 13 years, followed by twin boys who are 11 years,  a girl who

is 9 years then the twins we have who are actually three years.

 They used to live with their parents at a place called Kipini in Tana

River district but when the parents died they came to live with the

Grand mother, who cannot support them.  the eldest boy will stay with

the Grand mother,  the Girls were taken to Malezi Home in Kilifi and

the older boys to Kikambala Home.  They cannot tell exactly what their

parents died of, they just say they were sick.  We could not go to

their home area in Kipini because it is quite far.

 Apparently, we discovered that the boys have bilharzia - their urine

is mixed with blood.  We took them to Kanamai and they got treatment.

I went on the web to find out more about the disease and thank God it

cannot be passed from human to human so the other children are ok.  I

also called Charity and told her to inform the other homes because it

is likely all the other children have it. 

One of the boys (Yusuf) is jolly and talkative while the other

(Julius) is a cry baby.  I hope he gets some confidence soon.”

 

Extract from Jackie’s email – 29^th May 2009

 “An issue came up with the relatives of the twins.  Since their parents

died, the relatives were comfortable with the children being brought

up by the grand mother although they did not assist her in any way at

all.  The Grand mother struggled until she decided to look for

assistance through the children’s department who sought homes for the

children.   I think after the children were placed in the various

homes, she went to tell her relatives what she had done with the

children.  I am not sure if it is her son or her brother but an

elderly gentleman asked her how she could loose all those children.

She explained that they were not lost but somewhere getting food,

shelter, clothing and education.  The gentleman insisted that one of

the children has to stay behind so that they are not all forgotten.

I tried explaining to them what we do to ensure that the children do

not forget their relatives or where they come from but he would not

listen.  He did not want to go with both boys and since he is related

to the boy, the District Officer agreed to let him go with the child.

(The jovial one) .  So now we have one.  I was not happy to let one

go, I preferred that they go together wherever they were to go.”

 Think these emails sum up just exactly our staff are dealing with on a daily basis where a relative who has not helped the children in any way when the grandmother was struggling to feed them can come in and split twins up, the welfare of the children does not come first!! As parents of twin girls we realise how damaging it is to separate Yusuf & Julius who have been together since conception. How alone must little Juluis feel as he has lost his parents, grandmother, siblings and now even his twin brother. Even if the relative would not have wanted to loose both children, he should have put the children’s wellbeing before his own feelings.

Jackie was phoning the UK this morning at 1.00am as Juluis is very ill now and needs hospitalization.

What a cruel unfair world we live in where this is allowed to happen, the boys would have been together and well cared for at The Good Life.