May is coming to a close and thankfully we have some very good news from The Good Life Orphanage. As you know we provide a secure and loving home for some 65 orphaned/abandoned/vulnerable children, whilst we strive to give these children a stable environment to grow up in, we also realise that if the children have extended families who are prepared to care for them they should be reunited with their families. Many times we have witnessed parents and grandparents coming to The Good Life Orphanage distraught as they are looking for their children as they have been abandoned without their knowledge.

Anthony & Sue with Branken & David

This was the case for Branken and David who arrived at The GLO on the 14th January 2014 from Mtwapa Police Station, they had been abandoned by their mother and were in a sorry state. Sue and Anthony who were visiting the orphanage for the day accompanied Papa Kevin to pick the children up and were very upset to see these two little boys uncared for and unwanted.

Branken

Unbeknown to either the police authority, the children’s department or The GLO their father was already trying to track down the children as the mother had taken them from their home and brought them to Mtwapa.

David May 2014

Hemed worked tirelessly to locate the father and any extended family, and whilst the father came to see the boys he could not provide a secure home as he worked in the Mara. Luckily Hemed then found the children’s maternal grandmother in Nyanza. After a long period of communication via the phone she showed interest in the future care of her grandsons & guided by Hemed’s vast experience in this field today was given custody of the two boys. The boys father is also overjoyed as he can now continue to work and will ensure the grandmother gets a monthly amount from him for the upkeep of his two sons. He will also visit them regularly.

The two boys with their dad on the right and an Uncle

After speaking to the grandmother we found out that she had cared for Branken for nearly 2.5 years until the mother returned and brought him away with her, the grandmother also has her concerns about her daughter’s safety and wellbeing as she has disappeared following the abandonment of the boys earlier this year and has not been in contact since.

Papa, Branken, David & Grandma

The above photo shows just what a difference The GLO is making, the smiling faces of little David and his Baba are a joy to behold. By offering a save haven for children even for a few months, we are indeed helping the needy and thanks to the hardwork & dedication of our staff we are making life better for these children.