New beginings...

Without a doubt, the biggest piece of work we did together this year was for Mariamu and her family. It was a challenge, but it was definitely worth it. The children have a roof over their heads. It doesn't rain in, there are no leaks, they are dry and safe. For the first time in their lives, they have their own decent housing. During our last trip, we still had to finish a few details. We had to glaze and paint the windows and doors and build a toilet and washroom, as we had promised. The soil in the area where the family lives is full of stones. It was not easy to dig a cesspool for the toilet. Two diggers left us with the job half done and literally ran away from their pickaxes :D. It took until the third attempt to finish the pit. But that was no surprise. Who among us would want to dig it? Since there is no electricity in the house, we bought several small solar lights. The evenings are long here. It gets dark at half past six, and the sun doesn't rise again for 12 hours. We also promised the children and their mother a bed so that they could sleep well in their new home. We had it made by a local carpenter. We bought a mattress in town. We bought bed sheets and blankets at a second-hand market. We joked with Amrani that now he would be late for school every morning. He was genuinely happy to have a bed to sleep in. Like several other families, we provided Mariamu and her children with basic food and supplies. Little Witness received from our youngest donor, Ema a pile of clothes and a small rag doll, her baby, which she carries with her everywhere. Thanks to all of you, we have not only managed to build a new home for the family, but also to give them hope for a brighter tomorrow. We have established a small chicken farm, which we firmly believe will soon grow and become a source of income for the family. We have done everything in our power, and now it is up to Amrani and his mother to start their new life. However, we have set ourselves the task of solving one more major challenge, which is water, the lack of which the family suffers greatly from. 

When I look back on the day I first met mother, and her children, I get a feeling of nostalgia. At the time, I was looking for families in need that we could help, and Charlie remembered Mariamu, whom he knew from school and knew was living in very difficult conditions. We decided to bring them at least some basic cooking ingredients and soap. In the distance, hidden among the bushes, was a small mud hut that was almost invisible and looked as if it might collapse at any moment. For a while, everyone watched us from a distance, and after a few seconds, a surprised Amrani ran up to us. He helped us carry the food and slowly put it in the hut. The small children looked at us suspiciously, but Mariamu was kind, gentle, friendly, humble, and resigned as always. They had basically nothing. We understood then how heavy a burden Amrani carried on his shoulders at the age of 7 and how sorrowful his soul was. We also understood that he is looking for and needs hope that things will get better one day. As a woman and mother, Mariamu has gone through very difficult times in her life. She faces her disability and misfortune with great courage. However, we firmly believe that the darkest period is now behind the family. The joy and laughter of the children whenever we arrive make it clear to me that all the effort was worth it. I am extremely grateful to my partner, without whom I would be literally lost and probably still digging the foundations for the house myself :D. All of us and the whole family are extremely grateful to all of you who supported this project. As Mariamu herself says, when she first met us, she never dreamed how much help she would receive. She thanks you all from the bottom of her heart. The people here are deeply religious and very grateful. Into the concrete on the porch of her house she carved the phrase 

MUNGU NI MWEMA (God is kind)

Thank you!