Shani

Birthday

History

Shani came to us on Thursday, 5th of August 2004, and has somewhat settled down in the meantime. He becomes 6 months on 18 August 2004 and needs a lot of attention and love. He is a friendly baby and smiles when you carry him. He definitely did not experience a lot of love and warmth, since his family has a lot of problems. His mother is approximately 16 years old and was raped. The rapist was put in prison, but this did not really help the family. The misery was too big. The father of his mother has eight children and her mother had run away. The children are not able to take care of themselves and the father has no work, and there is also not something like social security or unemployment benefits in Kenya, and the family lives from charity. The Youth Welfare Office has now asked me, if Nice View could accommodate little Shani to take away a big burden from the family. I have agreed, after having informed myself about the situation of the family on the spot. Now Shani has a chance of survival and a future, and his young mother can continue going to school - she is in the 7th form. With four babies, we have now our hands full.

Shani, who was a bit physically retarded, has now developed very well and he and Amaton play football very well already. Shani is very cuddly and affectionate and ' the Clown' of Nice View. You really have to laugh if, for example, he imitates a sheep. He speaks already pretty well and loves to sing. For example ‘Happy Birthday’. But not on command. Preferably alone in bed or together with the others on the potty. His grandfather is always very proud and happy when he is visiting him.

Career

July 2008: Nobody is as cuddly as Shani, and it is amazingly how good you can already talk to him on the phone. He also loves to give kisses through the phone.  In kindergarten he has somewhat difficulties and is together with the younger ones in a group. However, thanks to individual encouragement he can certainly switch to the group of the older kindergarten children soon.

August 2009: Shani belongs to the quieter children, and you need to take care that he also gets some attention. He is still a very loving child with a surprisingly deep voice. To our surprise he will start school (only 5 ½ years old) after the summer holidays.

February 2010: small correction: Shani is still in kindergarten and will start school only this year.

November 2010: Shani is one of our first-formers and makes us laugh quite often. For instance when he asks female visitors why they do not shave. When inquiring it became clear that the question related to the head hear. His was shaved on request the day before.