After a long fight from Manchester to Mombasa (through Istanbul) the first thing I noticed on our drive from the airport was lots of poor people, small broken cars and dusty open shops. It was 4am and there was lots of people on the streets .I was a bit scared.

Ruby is very proud of GA Bench

When we arrived at the orphanage some of the children came to say hi to us. After visiting each house where the Mama’s and aunties were working we ran to the park for play time. I had lots of fun with the girls we made a sandcastle, played on the swings and on the slide. Cillian and all the boys were being a little crazy having fun.Then it was TV time, we all watch Sofia the first and the girls were playing with my hair, I think because it is very straight. They told me I had very pretty hair.

Ruby, Shinuru & Amanda

After TV time Derek got a football out so dad, Cillian and I all played- it was really hot but lots of fun. All the children were good at playing. The mamas and aunties were watching.
Mum and me were going to sleep in the girl’s transition house. Mama Jane, Precious, Chabetty, Rachel and Saidi all live there. They all made us feel very welcome. The girls were studying hard for their exams in the morning. They even asked Mama Jane to wake them up at 4am to get even more revision done.

Cheeky Kids

Me and Saidi coloured in while Mama Jane made tea, Mum watched. We had chicken in sauce and Pilau rice with real home made chapatti’s, Cillian liked the chapatti’s so much he wanted to take them home. Mama Jane’s cooking was really good. Dad did the washing us and Mama Jane and the other staff thought it was funny that a boy did the cleaning up.
After tea Mama Jane went to put Saidi to bed and Frankie from O’Malley house snuck across and was playing with Cillian out of the window, as soon as he heard a Mama opening a door he ran back a quick as he could!

A game of football

Cillian and Daddy went to the boy’s transition house and all us girls chilled out of the sofa. I slept really well and woke up at 6am to wave all the children off to school, we wished them good luck in their exams.

Ruby with SBM School Pupils

Another day we attended the end of year assembly, first there was a mass. It was in Swahili and had lots of dancers. After mass each class took terns in doing a show, some sang a song, some danced and some read poetry. The songs were about their mamas being good to them and looking after them.

Mama Mary, Ruby & Babay Jamie

One special class graduated, there were in gowns and had flags- each child received a certificate and they were all smiling and laughing. After the show some of the teachers spoke to the parents and children- they told them to be respectful to their parents and looking after themselves over the holidays. They are on holidays for 2 months.

KG3 Graduating

The final part was the spirit award, which is for the pupil with the “sprit” of the school. After a big count down we revealed that Kelvin Nyali won, the children all clapped and cheered. He won a new school bag and new shoes (with polish), his mama was also given money 10,000kes which is about £80.00 as she had worked very hard all year making sure Kelvin worked hard. His mama put the money straight in her bra to look after it, which was funny.

Nyale Family with The Hayes Family

I loved my time in Kenya, with the children and staff in both The Good Life Orphanage and St Bernadette Mary School.

Ruby with Madam Mercy

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