How to help?
How to help?
Happy Home exists thanks to a large group of volunteers, sponsors and partners in Kenya, Belgium, USA, Canada, and Latin America.
How can I donate to Happy Home and its children?
With 35 € per month, we can finance food, education and hygiene for one more child. Casual donors help us to fund projets to improve the infrastructure and life of the children. Godmothers/fathers give a chosen amount every month to the Happy Home children. Find out more about donations and sponsorships.
How can I help Happy Home with my time?
We constantly need volunteers to help us raise funds, to help us with the administration, translation and networking, and to volunteer in Kenya at Happy Home? Please, do not undertake fund-raising or networking activities before contacting us !!!
Transparency and Confidentiality
Happy Home is audited by a certified auditor referred to us by the Lions' Club of Kisii. The Lions' Club regularly visits Happy Home to ensure transparency. Permanent sponsors (godfathers/godmothers) receive yearly financial reports about the expenses made in Happy Home.
Communication & newsletters
Happy Home does not encourage communication between the sponsors and the children. We believe that this communication is not in benefit of the children, who do not need to be aware that they are funded by international people. Sponsors and friends of Happy Home will instead receive newsletters written by the volunteers and board members of Happy Home. These include pictures of the children, news about the home and fund-raising news. (see "News")
Sign up for the Happy Home e-Newsletters: Fill the newsletter request form
Donor Forms & Happy Home Flyer:
Feel free to distribute the Happy Home Flyer around you:
Brochure Happy Home (International) (ENGLISH)
Brochure Happy Home (Canada) (FRENCH)
Brochure Happy Home (Europe) (FRENCH)
Brochure Happy Home (International) (DUTCH)
1) Donate to Happy Home
How to help?
1) Donate to Happy Home
There are different ways in which you can help Happy Home financially:
1) Monthly Sponsorship (godmothers/fathers):
Fund the daily life of our children.
2) Donate casually:
A) to fund the post-primary school fees of our children.
B) to fund projects for self-sustainability of Happy Home.
Note*) Communications between Happy Home and sponsors
Note**) Funding by Non-Profit Organizations & Private Enterprises
Happy Home Donor Forms
1) Sponsor the daily life of our 32 children (monthly)
To become a godfather or godmother and join the Happy Home family, please fill in the Happy Home donor form below and choose the amount you want to give on a monthly basis. Identify the most suitable Happy Home Bank Account in the tab Contacts & Donations.
Being in charge of caring for children, we rely on the monthly donations to provide for the daily life of the children in Happy Home. As any home, Happy Home has monthly expenses, including food purchases, education, hygiene, maintenance of the home, transport and staff salaries. To ensure the monthly availability of the necessary funds we look for permanent sponsors, who agree to give a fixed amount every month and secure the survival of a child. These sponsors allow us to balance the monthly income with the monthly expenses and ensure that we can continue hosting the children. Godfathers and godmothers are the backbone of Happy Home.
On a monthly basis we currently spend about 35€ (45$) per child every month for food, hygiene, medical care and schooling. Yes, with about ONE EURO PER DAY (1.5$) Added to this are the fixed monthly cost for running the orphanage, which amount to about 1200€ per month (1500$). They cover for all salaries, maintenance, transport, office materials, etc.
2) Donate Casually
A) to fund the post-primary school fees of our 32 children
To donate for the children's education, please fill in the Happy Home donor form below and identify the most suitable Happy Home Bank Account in the tab Contacts & Donations. Mention that your donation is meant for the children's school fees.
Besides the permanent sponsors, we also accept casual donations and funds which were gathered through fund-raising activities. These funds are not used for the daily functioning of the home but are invested in projects or in savings for school fees. Casual donations indeed help us being prepared for tomorrow. Our children are currently in primary school (Class 1 to Class 8) but soon the eldest will enter secondary or a vocational training.
As any other family, Happy Home is responsible of giving its children a future.
Depending on the capacities and interest of every child, we will opt for three different circuits after primary school.
1) The children who are weak in school or not interested by school will pursue a vocational training (mechanic, plumber, dressmaker, etc.). The training lasts one or two years, during which we need to pay for school fees and accommodation for the children, what does not exceed what they currently cost in primary school (about 180€ (220$) per year).
2) The children who are capable and willing can be sent to secondary boarding school (Form 1 to Form 4). For one year, including accommodation and school fees, this costs about 350€ (450$) per year or double the price of current school fees. The national exam at the end of secondary school will determine which path the children can follow after wards. The children who are average children can pursue a professional course (nursing, social worker, teacher, etc.) for another 2 years. This costs about 850€ (1200$) per year for two years.
3) The children who would succeed very well in their national exam after secondary school might obtain a scholarship from the government for university. In such case, Happy Home would be able to sponsor at least one year of university, after which the children can find a job and gradually continue to climb up. When sponsored, one year at university costs about 700€ (1000$).
As you can imagine, the cost of education of our 32 children will rise from about 5000€ per year currently to about 9000€ per year when most kids will be in post-primary education. Therefore, as any other "family" we need to start saving for the children's education. You can help us by organizing fund-raising activities (see next page) or sponsoring the children's education yourself.
2) Donate Casually
B) to fund projects in Happy Home
To donate for Happy Home projects, please fill in the Happy Home donor form below and identify the most suitable Happy Home Bank Account in the tab Contacts & Donations.
Mention that your donation is meant for the project.
Besides funding school fees, casual donations can help Happy Home to execute project. Such funds for example allowed to renovate the Happy Home building, to build a pump on the unsafe community well that the home was using, to install a rainwater collection system, to purchase furniture, etc. We also plan in the near future to invest these funds in projects aiming at the home's subsistence in terms of energy (biogas, solar panels, etc) and food (animals, agriculture, etc.)
Note*) Communications between Happy Home and sponsors
Godfathers and godmothers (monthly sponsors) will receive newsletters about the children on a quarterly basis and a yearly financial report.
Casual sponsors and friends of Happy Home will receive newsletters.
We do not encourage personal communication between the children and the sponsors as we do not believe that such communication is beneficial for the children. The children are not aware by who or from where they are funded.
Note**) Funding by Non-Profit Organizations & Private Enterprises
Happy Home welcomes all support and donations from humanitarian organizations or private enterprises.
We can provide you all necessary information, write proposals for project funding, and report back about the expenditures. Happy Home has a strong management structure, composed of a group of volunteers consisting the Happy Home Board and the fund-raising teams. We are entitled to provide tax-certificates in the USA, Belgium and Canada. Please consult our management structure on the website and contact the nearest fund-raising office.
Happy Home Donor forms
2) Fundraising activities
How to help?
2) Fund-raising for Happy Home
We encourage all Happy Home friends, future and past volunteers, godfathers/mothers or sponsors to help us fund-raising. We currently have fund-raising structures in Belgium, the USA, and Canada.
1) Organize a Happy Home event
Several Happy Home friends organized various types of events during which they raised funds for Happy Home. They include among others benefit concerts, benefit dinners, benefit quiz, happy home happenings, etc during which all benefits go to Happy Home.
Examples of past Happy Home events:
Wembly Fund event, USA (Sept 2008):The Wembly Fund organised an event on Manhattan's lower west side to raise money for Happy Home. They invited Li'nard and his band the Many Moods to provide entertainment. The guests were able to win prices, bid on art work and watch a slide show about the Happy Home children. The event allowed to raise 2500 US$ and to renovate the water tank of Happy Home.
Concert, Belgium (Apr 2008): 
A group of young musicians organized a Sunday-afternoon concert for family and friends in the church of Rijmenam in Belgium. Wim, Jef, Katrijn, Maartje, Jan, Maarten, Katrien, Tinneke, Marijn, Goedele and Stef collected a nice sum for our little friends in Stella.
2) Receive a Happy Home donation as a present
Is your birthday nearing? Are you expecting a baby? Are you soon getting married?
Are you tired of our commercial lifestyle? Do you believe you already have all you need?
Ask your friends and family to donate to Happy Home instead of spending hours shopping.
Happy Home Baby
Several young parents believe they have sufficient toys, clothes, etc. for their children. They asked their friends and families to give funds for the education of our Happy Home children instead of buying presents for their new baby. We call these babies "Happy Home Babies". Currently we had to following Happy Home babies: Louise, Otto, Marin, Lina, Zitta, Kobe and Jesse.
Happy Home Wedding / Anniversary / Birthday
The most original present for a wedding, anniversary, birthday, etc. is to donate funds for the education of our Happy Home children. Add Happy Home on your wish list !!!!
Some examples of past Happy Home gifts:
Wedding of Isabelle & Edouard, Canada, Sept. 2009 Our Happy Home founders decided to donate a percentage of their wedding presents to their children in Kenya.
Birthday of Liesbet, Belgium Feb 2010 (Happy Home volunteer). Liesbet, a volunteer who came several times to Kenya since 2007 asked her family to give a donation to Happy Home for her birthday.
3) Organize a sponsored sport event
Do you own a sports club? Are you a member of a club? You could organise a sports event or sport class during which the proceeds go to Happy Home.
Examples of past Happy Home sport events:
Yoga Haven, USA (Apr 2008): One Friday night per month, Yoga Haven owner Kathleen DiNatale organized a "hearts and soal restaurative" yoga class for her patrons and donated the proceeds to Happy Home. They raised more than 3000 US$.
4) Organize a school / scouting Happy Home event
Examples of past Happy Home group activities:
University Christmas Hat, Belgium (Dec 2007): Tinne and her colleagues from the Faculty of Law in the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium went around in all offices with a Happy Home Christmas Hat. The hat yielded very nicely !!!
5) Advertise Happy Home in a local paper or newsletter
Does your school / university / sportsclub distribute a newsletter to its members or alumni ?
Do you have contacts who can help us to publish an article in a local newspaper ?
Examples of past publications:
University newsletter, Belgium (Dec 2006): The newsletter "Campuskrant" of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium published an article about happy home in December 2006. The article mentioned the website of happy home and invited people to become godfathers and godmothers. This article led to a large number of new sponsors.
Secondary school newsletter, Belgium (2006): An article was published in the newsletter of the secondary school OLV in Sint-Genesius-Rode in Belgium. The result is that the students later organized several fund-raising activities for the Happy Home.
6) Sell Happy Home Christmas cards 
Are you interested in sending Happy Home Christmas cards to your friends ?
Are you interested in selling Happy Home Christmas cards in your neighborhood ?
Please contact info@happyhomekenya.org.
Example of a Happy Home Christmas card made in 2008.
7) Distribute Happy Home flyers everywhere
We encourage everyone to distribute Happy Home Flyers everywhere. Our flyers contain all contact information and banking details in Europe, USA, Canada and Kenya. We have flyers in three languages: French, English and Dutch.
Feel free to distribute the Happy Home Flyers around you:
Brochure Happy Home (International) (ENGLISH)
Brochure Happy Home (Canada) (FRENCH)
Brochure Happy Home (Europe) (FRENCH)
3) Help back home
How to help?
3) Help Happy Home in your home country
Happy Home works through several volunteers in Kenya, Belgium, Canada and USA. They include the Board of Happy Home, the fund raising teams in all countries, and the casual volunteers who assist us for activities.
We always need hands to help !!!
We indeed spend our free time to:
1) Raise funds through networking, proposal writing and activities (see Fund raising activities)
2) Keep in contact with the sponsors and friends
3) Keep track of donations, keep accounts and write financial tax certificates
4) Update the website
5) Write newsletters, financial reports, etc.
6) Translate all documents in 4 languages (when time is available).
If you are willing to help us with translation work, reporting, accounting, fund-raising, etc. please contact the fund-raising office nearest to you. You will find their details in "Contacts"
4) Volunteer in Kenya
How to help?
4) Volunteer in Kenya
We welcome volunteers who would like to spend some time with the children in Kenya. Volunteers shall assist the staff in their office duties, help the children with their homework and tutor them, and participate in animation of games and oversight of the children's daily duties.
Apply to volunteer in Happy Home
We accept volunteers who are willing to stay for a period of 3 months or more in Happy Home.
If you are interested in volunteering with us, please first read our website carefully, read the volunteer agreement and read the FAQ below. Note that failure to adhere to the agreement can be a valid motive to terminate the assignment (and thus to send you back home).
Please contact us on volunteer@HappyHomeKenya.org at least 2 months before your planned departure. We will ask you a CV and a motivation letter explaining how you can be useful to Happy Home (written in English). We will then conduct a series of interviews (in person or through skype-webcam) before deciding if you can be accepted as a volunteer with us.
Past and Current Happy Home Volunteers
Current volunteer: Giuliana (Venezuela): July - October 2010
Roberta (Chile) & Rodrigo (Costa Rica): November - April 2010
Celeste (Chile): March - July 2009
Marie-Pièrre (Belgium): Nov 2008 - March 2009
"Globe Note" musicians (France): June - July 2009
Liesbet (Belgium): March - June 2006, Aug - Sept 2007, Aug 2008
Melissa (Belgium): Nov 2007 - Jan 2008
Bernadette & Hans (Belgium): July - Aug 2007
FAQ
Q: Is it possible to come for a shorter period than 3 months
A: As volunteers need time to adapt to the local reality and adapt to the daily life in Happy Home, we do not accept volunteers for less than 3 months. Only returning volunteers are allowed to come for shorter periods.
Q: Am I expected or allowed to raise funds for Happy Home before or after volunteering?
A: We do not force volunteers to raise funds for Happy Home, but of course we welcome their initiatives. However, to ensure that your fund-raising is done in a transparent way, please DO NOT UNDERTAKE ANY FUND-RAISING BEFORE DISCUSSING IT WITH US on volunteer@happyhomekenya.org !!! We will provide you with all information and documents required for proper transparent fund-raising.
Q: How can I be the most useful to the Happy Home children after returning from volunteering?
A: As a returning volunteer, you are a very important resource to Happy Home. As you know the children well and have all the energy needed to achieve great results, you can be of a great help to the people in charge of fund raising for Happy Home. DO NOT UNDERTAKE ANY ACTIVITY BEFORE DISCUSSING IT WITH US. We need translators and people helping out with newsletters and administration, we need people organizing activities, etc. Please see "help back home" and contact volunteer@happyhomekenya.org in case you are interested.
Q: What is the cost of volunteering? What about accommodation?
A: We do not ask volunteers to contribute financially. The only costs are related with the cost of transport to and from Happy Home, the cost of the Kenyan VISA, and the cost of insurances. We offer accommodation to volunteers inside happy home and volunteers are welcome to eat with the children 3 times daily. Happy home does not supply additional food nor comply to special diets.
Q: How safe is Kenya ? And how safe is it to stay in Happy Home
A: Kenya is a rather safe country, where many tourists are going every year. You will be quite safe inside and outside happy home during daytime. However, there are several issues which need to be considered when staying as a foreigner in Kenya. Volunteers should not travel by night (risks of accidents and robbery) and should not wander around by night in cities or even in the village of Stella (risk of robbery, rape, etc.). In case of any doubt, please ask the happy home manager.
Q: What about diseases and vaccinations ?
A: Kenya being located in tropical regions, several diseases are common which international volunteers might not be used to. They include among others Malaria, TBC, Hepatitis, Typhoid, HIV/AIDS, etc. We ask volunteers to collect all information from a doctor specialized in tropical medicine (inquire from a nearby hospital) and to act in consequence. Always wash your hands with soap, cover your skin during evenings, use insect repellent, and use malaria prophylaxis. Do not drink the local water unless you boil it yourself or filter it with a good filter. You can purchase bottled water in the village or nearby town.
Q: What about insurances?
A: We request that volunteers purchase a valid health and emergency insurance, covering medical care and emergency evacuation. In addition to an international insurance, we encourage volunteers to purchase a Kenyan evacuation insurance such as "flying doctors" (transport by air to Nairobi in life threatening situations).
Q: How can I obtain a Kenyan VISA?
A: Being frequently visited by tourists, Kenya sells VISA at the airport upon arrival. This service is valid for most citizens. Please check if your country is eligible to this agreement: Nationalities which may acquire VISA at entry points. Note that you should carry US$ to pay for your visa at the airport. Check the visa fee on-line: Kenyan Immigration VISA fee