This month started with a big day for Upendo's Children Centre. The official opening was held on the 1st of February. After cutting the ribbon by the children a lot of visitors enjoyed the tasteful food & soda and looked around in UCC where Naftali, Maina, Kevin, Imma and Mary have found a safe home.

After the opening normal life continued: School from Monday till Friday, which means waking up at 5.30 am. Kevin, Mary and Imma return from Riamakurwe Primary School at 4.00 pm, after which it is time to play and relax. Off course homework has to be done and extra practising for reading, writing and maths as that is sometimes difficult for them. Maina attends Nursery across the road at (naam school); he goes at 8.00 am and returns at 4.00 pm. Naftali; how much he would like to go to school with the others, stays home with housemother Carol.

Besides school there is also time for fun. We made drawings, made decorations for the home and held dancing competitions. February was hot during day time, with sometimes heavy rains in the afternoon, which made us plan the outside activities very carefully. We went to climb Nyeri Hill (were we had a pick nick), played at the playground at Green Hills Hotel and made a real safari through Aberdare NP. Naftali likes to remind us often: "We saw Elephanti, Elephanti, Elephanti".

Maina was checked in the hospital for any mental problems, he was found okay after a report from the teacher, housemother and the District Child Officer. Maina is improving at school and interacts more and more with the other kids.

After the check-up of Maina, he and Naftali had to go back to court, where the judge would decide how to continue after one month expired since they came to UCC. First of all the judge couldn.t believe how these 2 .street boys. had changed during their stay at UCC, she congratulated UCC. For now, as no other relatives have been found, Maina and Naftali will stay at least another 2 months.

Starting with 5 kids, UCC finished February with 8 kids. First on the 12th of February the 6 th member of UCC came; Elvis; 8 months old. He was brought to us because his relatives where in a battle who should take care of him; after the dead of his mother. After 4 days with stinkey smells, lots of nose, but most imported lots of love and fun we said "Goodbye" to Elvis; the DCO found a solution and Elvis was handed over to his father.

On Valentines Day Jackson Junior (not to be confused with Board member Jackson) joined UCC. Jackson is a smart 10 year old boy who likes to go to school. The day before Jackson came the DCO, both Jackson.s and me went to get more background information around the area where Jackson used to live. After the murder of his grandfather by relatives, there is no safe place for Jackson to stay at family or other guardians, so UCC will be his home & family.

At the end of the month the judge asked UCC to take care for 2 needy children. The 8 year old orphan Susan Naiku & 8 year old Rose Muthoni. Susan, stayed with her aunt, who sadly enough never gave Susan a chance to go to school. Rose was in the unfortunate position of where the mother is unable to take care of Rose, while the father is in jail. Both girls are happy to be in UCC, but have some difficulties to adjust in the UCC family, which can be related to the hard situations from the recent past.

In this first operating month everything went well. The kids, workers, Board Members and Volunteer are happy.

This is the beginning, so the future will bring us even more "Upendo" as the Chairman said a piece of land has been cleared, where a new house can be build for UCC. Let the development begin!

Now the month of February is behind us UCC offers a safe home for 8 kids. All of them with a different background, but all of them are here with the same goal: Born with a purpose.