About Us
As indicated by our name "HAPPY MOMENTS KENYA" our overall aim is to HELP MANY PEOPLE in SMALL WAYS. Our philosophy is to "HELP PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES".
To this end we will take on tasks as small as helping people repair their bicycles, replacing corrugated sheets for roofs, supply food for the elderly people without relatives, provide containers for transportation of drinking water, or to collect rainwater off roofs via guttering, clothes, hardware tools etc..
We also support a few orphans, providing for their needs to improve their standard of living. As a member of ROTARY INTERNATIONAL and ROTARY CLUB GOZO we also get supoort for some of our prokjects from different Rotary CLubs in Europe.
In addition we have helped build Kindergarten schools, provided fresh water to villages, created livestock and agricultural farms from scratch, and even set up a hardware store business. The point being that sustainability is passed back to the people who benefit from our work. As such they create a way of living and improve their livelihoods and can contribute back to the economy of the area.History
When I retired in 1998 and came to live in Gozo, Malta, I decided that I might spend some of my time doing voluntary work. Having worked for a number of years in East Africa, amongst other countries, with a knowledge of the country and the national language Swahili, it seemed likely that I might be best equipped to help those in need in this part of the world
On my first visit I was attached to a Salesian Mission in Makuyu, an hour and a half north of Nairobi, and to a Mission in Hola, nine hours’ bus journey from Nairobi on the Tana River near the Somali border. The village of Makuyu is the centre of an agricultural area, where the agriculture is mainly subsistence carried out by smallholders, although there is one very big commercial agricultural estate producing coffee, various fruits and timber. The majority of the inhabitants are of the Kikuyu tribe The town of Hola was established round a penal colony and was until recently quite inaccessible because there were only dirt roads which became impassable after rain. It lies on the Tana River about 200 km south of Garissa. Unemployment is very high and the population has to rely on its own agricultural produce. In the past when there has been a drought or floods, international and government aid was necessary to prevent starvation.
I was engaged in supervising the construction and renovation of kindergartens, as well as a variety of help to both Missions.
After four years I felt I was in a position to work independently and to concentrate on helping those individuals who I judged would be able to make the maximum use of the financial help and advice I was able to give them in order to set up their own commercial enterprises, thereby providing employment to others in dire need of a living, such as orphans and families without a breadwinner. The following enterprises were set up and are running successfully: a tree nursery producing 100,000 saplings annually; a hardware store with two outlets and an expected turnover for 2008 of Euro 200,000; a transport business which undertakes the regular transport of vegetables from remote areas into the towns; a carpentry workshop producing all kinds of furniture; a blacksmith making metal doors, windows and other metal goods; and small agricultural holdings. At the same time I continued to give help to old people without children and sick people in need of medical attention
In order to keep a close check on how my donations were used, the amount of money involved was relatively small. I try to avoid handing out cash to those in need and pay medical and hospital fees, school fees, purchase livestock and fertilisers, seeds, fruit tree saplings, food, and building materials. I have provided a number of water tanks and washbasins with taps at large secondary schools and kindergartens.
The funding of all this work is provided by relatives and friends. The donated money is used exclusively to help people Air fares, local transport, living costs etc. are at present borne by me.
As a founding member of Rotary CLub Gozo, I have been able to interest fellow members in my work and they have decided to put forward an application to Rotary International on my behalf for a financial contribution to my personal costs and in particular to support the Reservoir Project..
In order to realize the current planned projects, approximately Euro 75,000 will be required.
| Malta Bank | HSBC |
|---|---|
| Valletta, Malta | |
| Account No. 071-268569-001 | |
| Account Name: Happy Moments Kenya | |
| IBAN: MT48 MMEB 4471 6000 0000 7126 8569 001 | |
| Germany Bank | Kreissparkasse Osterholz |
| D28790 Schwanewede | |
| GERMANY | |
| Account No. 120 101 6159 | |
| Account Name: Happy Moments Weimar | |
| IBAN: DE55291523001201016159 | |
| BIC: BRELADE 210HZ | |
| Kenya Bank | |
| Correspondent Bank: | Citibank Frankfurt |
| SWIFT Code: CITIDEFF | |
| IBAN: DE48 5021 0900 4116 9310 07 | |
| Beneficial Bank | Equity Bank Limited |
| Kenol Makutano Branch | |
| PO Box 443 01020-Kenol, Kenya | |
| Account Name: Happy Moments Kenya | |
| Account No. 0890194197269 | |
| SWIFT CODE: EQBLKENA | |
Sponsorship of our activities
We are always looking for sponsors to help us. sponsorship can be in many forms. Sponsors can:
- Support finacially or in materials, a specific project or part of a project
- Contribute towards or cover website annual hosting and maintenance costs
- Support or Sponsor a child or children with upbringing or their education
- Provide remote or on-site expertise in agricultural, educational and medical fields
- etc...
If you can help in any way then please contact us. We are always grateful for all support given. We welcome visitors to see and participate in what we are doing. Contact us for details.