Betty

Birthday

History

End of March 2004, ‘Beth’ (Betty), approximately 6 month old, came to us. Her sixteen year old mother was against her will to get married with an elderly man. Since in Kenya marriages below eighteen years of age are illegal, the Youth Welfare Office intervened. Betty’s mother was brought to a nearby Rescue Center for children and young persons. There she subsequently got pregnant. Since neither she nor her family could and were willing to take care of the baby, a teacher of her mother  took temporarily care of Betty. But this was only an interim solution, and we were asked to accommodate the little one. We were pleased that we could help. Like the other two babies, she was very ill when she came to us. But she gets now the right medical treatment and is already much better. The other children are glad to have an addition to the family and especially Sarah and Noah-Amaton are happy with the new playfellow.

Shortly after her arrival, it appeared that Betty is suffering from asthma. Thanks to our general practitioner Dr Mashanga, Betty gets now the right treatment and has almost no signs or symptoms. She is a pretty and energetic child, and we do not have the impression that, due to her illness, she is restricted in any way. She is very brave and has a strong will. Can spend time on her own, but also enjoys company. When she is having fun, you can already hear her laugh from far. And when she and Sarah think they are unobserved, they are already competing with our bigger singers and dancers.

Thanks to two physicians that were visiting us, we know now that Betty is not suffering from asthma, but from chronically obstructive bronchitis. We have now discontinued all medications and let her inhale when required only.

Career

In April 2008, Betty's parents picked her up. Her mother had succeeded in escaping the forced marriage and had married Betty's natural father. The latter had been able to create a secure new livelihood near the Shimba Hills, and the Kenyan Youth Welfare Office agreed that Betty's parents took care for their daughter again. We will keep an eye on Betty and her parents to see how Betty fares and to make sure that she is well.

On January 14th, 2010, Betty (for background details please go to Children -> Alumni -> Betty) visited us together with her parents and her 2 month old brother in Nice View.

After a visit that was planned already a long time ago had to be cancelled, since Betty’s mother got ill, a former co-worker who is still wedded to Nice View begun to search for Betty. Following an investigation lasting for days and a search on the motorbike for hours (the remainder of the way he had to walk), Betty was finally standing in front of him. All approaches before failed, since every time the connection broke when Betty’s father called, and since also we were not successful in getting in touch by phone.

All co-workers and children were happy when Betty stood in front of the gate to visit us in Nice View two days later.

Betty  is now in class one, however, speaks almost no English anymore. We have the impression that her parents take care of her well. Her father owns a little shop, her mother is a tailoress and cultivates the piece of land they own. Besides this, they have a small house as well as some cows and goats.