Wow! What a year!

Happy 2015!

The past year has been crazy busy for Matt and I!

We got engaged, started new jobs in challenging environments, planned a wedding within 8 months, bought a house, got married, moved into the house and decorated it at every spare moment and now we are finally settled!

Phew!

As it's a new year, I thought I'd update you on Mydel:

- All the boys are now in boarding school and are doing extremely well. They are still loving football and some are making it into the local teams. Frank is currently the national under 17 top player, after his brilliant performance in the national team. He was named the most talented boy in his size in the country in a journalists poll which is a credit to the organization and coaching. He is tipped to go for professional trials in Europe and this is to be funded by the agent from Denmark who spotted him during these qualifying games, so we are currently waiting to hear more on that!

- Since we closed down the orginal Mydel Boys Home last year, the Mydel staff have found their own ways to bring in a bit of money and they have decided to rent out a different home for the boys. They have relocated the boys to a safer area so the boys have somewhere to stay during the school holidays and they all seem happy with this.

- They have planted food on the acre of land, which we bought them, and they hope to be able to feed off the land come the end of this January. Very exciting!

- I have been sent a business plan for an idea to set up a hair salon, which the older boys would like to run in their local area. This will give a stable income and will also provide jobs for the boys who are coming to the end of their education. As we have a lot of money raised, I am currently looking at their business model and assessing whether we can give them a grant to get this project going. I think it is a great idea as it will give them a job, an income, responsibility and self-sufficiency within Mydel.

- We were given a large donation from Brislington Christian Fellowship and were able to send out money for food for every child over the Christmas period, as well as smart shirts and shoes for each child. I am waiting on pictures so I will send them out to you once I have them!

Since 2009, I have been managing the sponsorships of these children, who started off so vulnerable due to their traumatic experiences of poverty. To date, we have had one boy make it to University, another boy to become a professional footballer (with Frank following in this footsteps!) and two boys who are now in their final year of a course in Mechanical Engineering. Eunice is also being sponsored in a Business course in a top University and the chicken farm is making profit. So many success stories!

I'd like to thank you so so much for your support up to now. Mydel are becoming more self sufficient and the hope is to eventually hand over the project completely, so that they can support themselves.

2015 is going to be a great year! xxx