Mama Laadi's....

This blog has been a long time coming.  I know why I've put it off... by the end of it you'll  realise why if you haven't guessed already....Today I want to introduce you to Mama Laadi's... the Foster Home in Bolgatanga where I live.  Mama Laadi is an extraordinary lady who started her working life as a nurse and through her work took on children who had lost their parents at the hospital and had no relatives to take care of them... after a short time her own home was becoming over crowded and money was very short, which is where Afrikids a local NGO started by another extraordinary woman from the UK stepped in.  They heard about this amazing woman in the brink of time, Mama was beginning to think she would have to send the children away as she had no money to feed them but Afrikids saved the children, provided money and built a beautiful home.  It is now home to 45 children ranging from under one year to teenagers and Mama Laadi is employed as their full time carer.  These are the people that made it possible....

Josiah helped us with our bags

The children welcomed us with smiles, questions and open arms...

They loved the gazillion pencils sent by Sally Matthews....

The girls braided my hair and the Chelsea supporters enjoyed wearing the Chelsea cap from Ali Helm...

.... they couldn't wait to play the Chelsea CD Ali : )

We read books.... So many people have donated books!

....more books

Some even read themselves...

...others  slept!

The older boys so enjoyed receiving their football shirts from the Heaney family...

We played on the swings...

...with old tyres

...on the roundabout with little Alisha...

Then Mama received the money from Hannah Martin, Rachel Campbell, Rachel - Hannah's sister and her new husband Nik aka BIL (nicked from me ; )) which they raised at their wedding reception recently...

It came just at the right time. Mama and all the children were so happy. I know you want to know what it was spent on Hannah, Rachel, Rachel and Nik.... so here it goes; A party for all to celebrate the school holiday!  Watermelons and chicken specifically....much more food... 

....and 60 GHC worth of nappies for Peter...  

Peter has had a very tough start to life, it was because of this terrible experience (too terrible to blog about) that his development was affected and he is way behind his peers.

but look at what a happy chappy he is!

All the children want to thank Sally Matthews, Ali Helm and the Heaney family for their kind gifts. All those who donated books over the past year (Gill Hervey-Murray, Carol Webb, Heather Fell to name just a few.... so sorry I have forgotten everyone who sent them - terrible : ( ) and Hannah Martin, Rachel Campbell, Rachel and Nik for the generous donations.... The children want to do it with smiles to show how happy you've made them... 

Why smiles?  For those of you who don't know it's quite a challenge getting a Ghanaian to smile when they are 'snapped'.  Not for these children, their natural smiles and genuine happiness shine through, with the thanks to some incredible people... Mama Laadi of course, people like Hannah Martin and Rachel Campbell who regularly went to Mama Laadi's supporting children with reading and maths (they all wanted to greet you both by the way) and those that donate...  however small, it really makes a difference to these children. Such a happy bunch of 45 children made all the more unbelievable given their individual and challenging journey's to the home for such young people... the truth is, they are pretty extraordinary themselves...so here are a few smiles.... just for you. x x x

So why have I put it off; this blog... this visit.  I know myself pretty well... kids get under my skin... particularly kids in these circumstances. My excuse of course was work - perfectly valid but I could have squeezed it in if I'd tried harder.    

Visiting Mama Laadi's on the day my sister gives birth to my very first beautiful, gorgeous niece, Eadie Rose - aka Button, in hindsight, wasn't the best idea given my emotional state. You see I want one..or two... or three kids of my own. Ten years ago it was eight (I like to think I'm a realist!)  Trouble is my biological clock is ticking, my ovaries are emptying and I'm sure the amount of heavy metal I'm consuming in the water in this country isn't helping my waning fertility... The solution - become Mama Laadi! Take all the children home! (Bugger it - the very response I was trying to avoid!)  One things for sure Helen and I will be coming back regularly from September.  I'll toughen up... I have to... for now I'm going to spend the next 10 days looking forward to meeting little Button before I start thinking about how to become a Foster mum for real ; )