Forever Angels
Caring for orphaned and abandoned babies in Africa

trustees@foreverangels.org



Amy's Diary: News, thoughts and general day-to-day musings from Amy Hathaway, our On-site Manager.


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Recent Posts

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Saturday, January 30, 2010- Goodbye Deusi

This morning Deusi went home to live with his Dad and Sister!




We are always thrilled when a family can be reunited like this - although after being with us at Forever Angels for so long - we do of course miss these children greatly when they leave!

Meghan giving Deusi a kiss goodbye...


Deusi has been at Forever Angels Baby Home for almost 2 years, since his Mum sadly died in child birth. His Father had 7 other children to care for and wasn't able to care for the needs of a tiny baby as well as work to support his other children. His family have visited him regularly over the past two years and now that Deusi's oldest sister is 18 - she will be able to help to take care of him.
Deusi was more than happy to be going home to his family....



......although his 'long time friend' Mabeja (who arrived at the Baby Home one week before Deusi ) was not so happy to say goodbye to his buddy.

Deusi and Mabeja saying their goodbyes...

Goodbye Deusi - we'll love and miss you always....
Posted @ 9:03 PM

Monday, January 25, 2010- Goodbye Mayega

Today was another very happy 'Goodbye' for everyone at Forever Angels - as Mayega went home to live with his Grandmother!
We have cared for Mayega since he was a tiny, sick, fragile, week old baby.....and now he is a loveable, healthy and fun little boy!


Mayega when he arrived at Forever Angels Baby Home in July 2008


Mayega today - going home to live with his Grandmother - Prisca

What makes this even more special for us, is that his Grandmother, Prisca, actually works for Forever Angels Baby Home - so we will be able to keep in regular contact with Mayega and find out how he is getting on.

Both Mayega and Prisca were thrilled about this reunion today and although it is always sad to say 'Goodbye' to our beautiful babies - a Forever Angels story couldn't end more happy than this.


Mayega - we will love and miss you always but know you will always be well loved and cared for....
Goodbye beautiful...
Posted @ 10:49 PM

Thursday, January 21, 2010- Goodbye Joyce.....

Yesterday, January 20th 2010, Joyce went back home to live with her Father! Joyce knows her Dad very well as he has visited very frequently whilst Joyce has been at Forever Angels and she was more than happy to go home with him.

Joyce was SUCH a big personality at the Baby Home and she will be truly missed - though we are thrilled she is now back at home with her Dad and part of a loving family.



Good bye Joyce - we love you.

We received sad news from Tumaini's family today as apparently his Dad died last week from severe Malaria. Tumaini's Dad was due to take him home in a couple of months, and he was a relatively young and healthy man when we saw him in December.

Tumaini and his Dad 18 months ago
Tradgedy just keeps on happening here - day in day out we hear about one of our Staff's or children's family members who have died unexpectedly. It is just so sad.
Thankfully, Tumaini's Father asked his sister to care for Tumaini just before he died and she agreed....so although this little boy has now lost his Mum and his Dad - he still has Aunts who love him and who will take him home in the near future.

Posted @ 7:33 PM

Monday, January 18, 2010- Twin Angels.....

Today we received twin boys, Moses Dotto Ghati and Noah Kulwa Ghati.



We think they are about 2 years old, but it is very hard to judge as they are obviously sick, malnourished and very small for their age.

We have given them the birthday of July 18th 2008 making them 18 months old now.

They are both 75cm tall but Moses is much larger, weighing 8.43kg and poor Noah weighs only 6.77kg.

Moses and Noah came to us from Bugando Hospital where they have been since their Mum died 4 days ago. They clearly come from a very poor family as their only known relative is their Great Grandmother (who does not know her age but says she was alive in the war) and she has no home and lives on the streets.

Moses and Noah with their Great Grandma


Sadly, Moses and Noah both tested positive for HIV today and due to their age, I think this means they have the actual virus and are not just carrying their mother's antibodies. We will take them to Bugando tomorrow for a PCR and to try to start them on ARV medication.

Both boys are malnourished and obviously quite traumatised. They enjoyed a bowl of porridge soon after they arrived and were cuddled all afternoon by Volunteers. They were both fast asleep by 6pm after an exhausting day!

We hope that some family members can be found to take care of Moses and Noah, but this is quite unlikely, so we hope it will be possible to find an adoptive family for them.
In the mean time, we hope to help their Great Grandmother to find a house to get her off the streets.
I have also finally got photos of Dave and Evie walking!! They both took their first steps last week and are now walking all around the Baby Home and will soon be moved to the Little Toddler group! It seems like just yesterday I cradled these two in my arms....

Evie - this little girl never stops smiling!....



Dave....a little more serious about the whole walking thing!....

Posted @ 6:26 PM

Saturday, January 16, 2010- Our Babies Keep Growing.....

People keep asking me to post some recent photos of our Tiny Babies and I finally got around to taking some today - so here goes....but be warned.....they are not so tiny anymore!


This is Wakuru and Shalom (she is SOOOOOOOOOOO beautiful and is now almost 4kg!)



This is Samwel and Mija. Mija is now in the main Baby Home and has started eating solid food!


This is Lucas - he is my new favourite! He never ever stops laughing and it is so funny to hear him gasping after a fit of giggles!


This is Lilly and Connie - both of these girls are now in the main Baby Home too and are enjoying their new eating experience!


This is Ben - he is also a new 'graduate' to the main Baby Home....and he is sat patiently waiting for some 'proper food'.

This is Elizabeth who is doing so well right now, and Charlies our smallest baby (who is also quite big at 3.5kg!)


And this is Anna and Ben - one of our sets of twins....both wonderfully smiley babies.
I didn't manage to get photos of Amani and Ashley as they were both sleeping - but this should keep you going for now!
Other news from this week is that Evie and Dave are both walking now!! Evie is the tiniest little thing ever and it looks so funny to see her walk...but she is very proud of herself.
Other fabulous news this week is that Mayega is going home to live with his Grandmother next week, and Deusi are Joyce are going home to their fathers in the next few days - we are all thrilled at this and yet can't quite imagine the Baby Home without Joyce!!



Joyce, Deusi and Mayega who will all return home to their families next week after being at Forever Angels for about two years.





Posted @ 9:06 PM

Thursday, January 07, 2010- D.A.V.E. Project and some 'Tit Bits' from the first week of 2010

Since the D.A.V.E. Project started in November 2006 - it has grown extermely quickly. We currently have 14 teenagers in Training and have supported a total of 19 youngsters since we started.




We have recently updated the D.A.V.E. section of our website so please take a look to find out more about the work we do with these young people and to find out who they all are.

Somedays it seems that Teenagers are SO much harder work than babies and sometimes I feel much too young to have 14 'teens' in my care! But generally - they are hard working, respectful and lovely members of Forever Angels and we are all proud at how far they have come.

I would like to say a big 'Thank you' to Jade who is our Volunteer D.A.V.E. Co-ordinator and who works SO hard with these young people - teaching them, guiding them, advising them and helping them in every aspect of their life and training.

Jade - you do a wonderful job - Thank you so much.

Jade is actually leaving in March so we are looking for another Volunteer to come out (for at least 6 months) to take over her role. This role involves teaching English, being a mentor to the trainees, taking care of their well being and health, taking them on trips, and generally dealing with them as a 'mentor/mother' on a day-to-day basis. If anyone is interested in this Volunteer Role and would like some more information - please contact me on amy@foreverangels.org

Sometimes it is easy to forget just how many people work at Forever Angels and how important each and every one of them are. I do not think I have mentioned Cosmos for a long time - but he does deserve a mention! A huge one infact!


Cosmos is our 'Head Groundsman and Driver'. Cosmos is a general 'handyman' who can turn his hand to anything - or he knows someone who can if he is not able to. He fixes our plumbing problems, electrical issues, drainage problems - he paints and builds and is generally great to have around the place. He is also now our 'Driver' and so runs many of the town errands that we have each day. Without Cosmos - I think the Baby Home could very easily grind to a halt.....and although he has nothing to do with the babies - he is pivitol to Forever Angels.

Thank you Cosmos for everything you do.

So the first week of 2010 is now over and it seems to have passed by so fast. We currently have 9 Volunteers at Forever Angels and I would like to thank each and every one for their hard work and love of the children at the Baby Home.

We seem to have a lot of coughs and colds and chest infections right now - especially among the Tiny Babies....but I guess it is rainy season and as 'Winter' as we get here.

Meghan is currently in the process of training two of our staff to be Shift Supervisors. Lucy and Emaria have both worked at the Baby Home for quite a while and they are both very keen to learn their new role. Meghan, as always, is doing a wonderful job of training them and we hope that in a few months, our two Assistant Managers and the two new Shift Supervisors will be able to manage the majority of the day-to-day running of the Baby Home themselves.

Meghan - I do not have the words to thank you. You work ridiculously hard and put in silly hours.....but the results are always SO impressive. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Apart from the snotty noses - the children are all doing well. It is amazing how fast some of them are growing up - Bianca, Charlie, Zawadi, Pili, Michael and Aika are all so grown up now yet it only seems like yesterday they were toddling around the Baby Home as some of our youngest children! Today, they were in school writing and reading and for 3 and 4 year olds they really are an impressive bunch!

Elizabeth is doing really well right now - she is drinking well and not sick and is spending a lot more time sitting upright in a chair which she really enjoys. A few weeks back, I thought we had only days left with this little girl but it seems that she has more fight in her than I realised.

That's all the news for now.....
Posted @ 7:42 PM

Sunday, December 27, 2009

As promised here are a few more photos of Christmas day at Forever Angels:

The children opening their gifts....





Fun in the Garden....



The Bethany Teenagers Performing:

More 'Flown' Angels returning to spend Christmas with us....

Rosie and her new family:

Kevin and his Mum:

Picnic Christmas Lunch....






And so Christmas is over for another year!......
Posted @ 6:11 PM

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Forever Angels Tanzania is a non-profit company: Reg. num 52450 - Box 2631, Mwanza, Tanzania, and a registered Non-Governmental Organisation (num 1506).
Forever Angels UK is a non-profit company Reg. num 5449185 - 28 Carisbrook Drive, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 1LN, and a registered UK Charity (num 1111873).