By Polly & Martin Lewis

How do we know about the Good Life Orphanage? Well our daughter Beth works with young Kevin, Mary and Kevin’s son, and she has become a very keen supporter of the Orphanage. Beth is working in Nairobi for six months so when we went to visit her at the end of November she was able to arrange a very fleeting visit to Mombasa so we could see for ourselves the wonderful work she has told us so much about.

When Polly met Amanda

We didn’t really know what to expect but three words sum up what we saw:
FUN, LAUGHTER AND COMMITMENT. And three words to sum up how we felt:
HOT, HUMBLED and AMAZED.

Happy Days with Polly & Martin

All the children were so keen to greet us, so proud to show us their homes. We were delighted to meet all the Mama and Aunties of the five houses. Each house had a slightly different feel about it, depending on the character of the house Mama, yet each house permeated the love and devotion each Mama has for her children. My those Mamas and Aunties work hard.
To meet and talk with Madam Mercy, Aunty Valentine, Hemed and Winfred made us realise how very complex it is to run the Orphanage and how devoted they are, doing their very best to improve the lives of each and every child so fortunate to be looked after by these amazing people.

Martin with Lawrence

One of the most eye opening aspects of our visit is the progress the children with special educational needs and disabilities are making. To those of you reading this whose donations help fund new standing frames, medical operations or psychological support we’ve seen how vital and well used your donations are. Thank you.
We walked through the farm to view the school, and saw all the vegetables thriving under the new horticultural frames which have increased the yield and protect the plants for the hot sun. What a great idea.

Polly & Amanda

It was sad we didn’t see the school in action as our visit coincided with the long end of year school holiday, but peering through the windows of all the classrooms made us quite nostalgic as we are both retired teachers. What did impress us was all the maintenance being undertaken and supervised with great authority by Papa Kevin. The chairs from one of the younger classes were all outside in the sun receiving a fresh coat of paint for their new occupants in the New Year. It was so interesting to hear about the competition from the local families to get a place within the school and we felt the children in the Orphanage are so blessed to have the opportunity to receive a good education – something which will surely help them to get on in the world once they leave the Orphanage.

Martin with Amanda & Naima

When we saw the computer room, the sewing room and heard about the ideas to give the older boys manual trades experience our eyes lit up. Such forward thinking, such great planning and what skill we witnessed in the sewing room where we saw the young boys’ green school uniform shorts being made – really classy and very superior!

Polly with Saidi who kept holding her hand

The end of our too short time at the GLO coincided with the introduction of a new paddling pool. The shrieks of laughter and the fun the children were having will stay with us for a long time; the same shrieks of laughter you will hear anywhere in the world where children are playing and having fun. What a joy it is to know that the children at the GLO are cherished and can enjoy such activities. How very different their lives would have been without the devotion of the amazing people from all over the world who work within or support from afar this amazing Foundation.

Early Christmas Present from Auntie Beth

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