Help 60 Vulnerable Children Stay in Their Families

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters through GlobalGiving since our last update in December. At that time we told you of three new babies that had been brought in to the St Andrews Baby Unit and have a safe, loving home thanks to your donations.

Since then, the unit has welcomed another two little ones in. Angel was just days old when she was found abandoned. She is making good progress and growing fast under the care of the dedicated staff at the St Andrews Baby Unit.

The other new arrival was rescued from a situation of neglect after his mother was forced to flee the family home. At just four months old, John had been fed solids as his caregivers didn’t have any baby formula to feed him after his mother left. Neighbours alerted the authorities to conditions in which John and his older brother were being raised and they were brought to Kandara Children’s Home with John being placed in the baby unit. Matron Lucy and her team have been working hard to ensure that John is receiving the nourishment that he needs to get him back on track and we’re sure in no time he will be catching up with his age mates.

Without your support, there wouldn’t be this safe haven for children like Angel and John. Words are not enough to thank you but we hope that the pictures of these children whose lives you have changed will show you the lives that have been changed thanks to you.

The St Andrews Baby Unit was launched by Vision Africa’s Founders, Rev and Mrs Packard, in November 2007. They sourced the funding for the unit, Mr Packard oversaw the renovation of a building to create the structure and Mrs Packard designed the interior and equipped the unit. Now in their eighties, the couple made a return visit last week and were delighted to see how well Lucy and her team are doing and how great the unit looks having had a makeover last year. Mrs Packard had her hands full meeting Angel and some of the other children. She has asked us to pass on her appreciation to everyone who has made the St Andrews Baby Unit the success that it is.

So THANK YOU from Mrs Packard, Lucy and her team and all the babies and little children that you have given hope to! Let's work together to give hope and a loving home to more little ones in the future. 

It has been another great year for the St Andrews Baby Unit in Kandara. The unit has had a makeover and looks much brighter with new flooring and a fresh coat of paint. This has lifted the spirits of the staff and the children who love the new environment.

Three of the older children from the unit have been attending the nursery school that Vision Africa set up in the grounds of Kandara Children’s Home. Patrick, James and Anne are coming on in leaps and bounds since they started in the baby class. They have learned new songs and rhymes and enjoy singing them and teaching the other children back at the baby unit. In fact, as soon as they saw the Santa hat Patrick started a chorus of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and was quickly joined by Anne and James.

There have been a few graduations this year with children moving up to the main home. This has left space for new babies who have been brought in to the unit. Just in the last few weeks, there have been three early Christmas gifts for Matron Lucy and her team. Natasha was brought in at two days old as her mother is unable to care for her. She already has an older sister who spent a few years in the baby unit before moving up to the main home. The staff have introduced the older sister to Natasha and she is already very protective of her.

Anne was brought in at three months old. She has had a troubled start in life as her mother is unable to look after her and she was rescued from a difficult situation. She is now doing well under the care of Lucy and the mothers at the unit. Before there was time to adjust to having two small babies again, a third one was brought in. This little girl was abandoned and handed in to a pastor’s wife. Her mother obviously cared greatly for her as she had left a note with the details of her vaccinations. When the staff saw the little two month old baby, they were amazed at how much she looked like the very first baby that was brought in to the unit back in January 2008. Grace has since been successfully adopted by a family in Kenya and is doing well so the staff decided to give the new arrival her name.

Thanks to your support through Global Giving, the local community knew exactly where to take Natasha, Anne and Grace. The St Andrews Baby Unit is able to exist and provide a safe haven because of your generosity.

We look forward to bringing you updates on the progress of the little ones in the year to come.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!