Interview from with SOS Mother from Nairobi, Kenya

Taken from an audio feature and interview with an SOS mother from SOS Children's Village Nairobi in Kenya, Nana Umande tells us about the latest additions to her SOS family.

Hilary Atkins: I'm talking to Nana Umande, and she had the new baby in her house called Melvin; it's between 5 and 8-months-old, and you have another child, as well?

Nana Umande: Yeah...

Hilary Atkins: Another new child?

Nana Umande: It's Namir...

Hilary Atkins: He or she?

Nana Umande: He.

Hilary Atkins: Namir. And, he's at school, at nursery school at the moment?

Nana Umande: Yes, he's in Nursery 2 (SOS Nursery School).

Hilary Atkins: Nursery 2 (SOS Nursery School), ok.

Nana Umande: ...and he's around five.

Hilary Atkins: And, your other children, how many other children do you have?

Nana Umande: In total, they are 9.

Hilary Atkins: 9. So, you also have a little girl, who is one of the internally displaced children from the post-election violence; and she's one of the nine children; and they haven't found her family?

Nana Umande: No, not yet.

Hilary Atkins: Where did she come from?

Nana Umande: From Kibera.

Hilary Atkins: So, how long has Melvin been in your family?

Nana Umande: Two months.

Hilary Atkins: You had him for two months?

Nana Umande: Yeah.

Hilary Atkins: And how is he, what sort of boy is he?

Nana Umande: Oh, he's so good.

Hilary Atkins: So good?

Nana Umande: He likes playing.

Hilary Atkins: Yeah, he thought he might handwrite now, gripping my finger very tightly. And, does he eat well?

Nana Umande: Yeah, very well?

Hilary Atkins: What does he like to eat?

Nana Umande: Porridge, and, hm, mashed potatoes...

Hilary Atkins: How are his sleeping habits?

Nana Umande: Very well.

Hilary Atkins: Yeah?

Nana Umande: Yeah, he does not wake up at night.

Hilary Atkins: Ah, that's good. So, what time does he go down at night?

Nana Umande: At nine.

Hilary Atkins: Nine o'clock. And sleeps until when?

Nana Umande: Eight in the morning.

Hilary Atkins: Gosh! And, where does he sleep?

Nana Umande: In my room.

Hilary Atkins: In your room. (addressing the baby) So, you're sleeping with Mommy in her room, and she's lucky, because you don't wake up. Uhm, how is it having a new baby in the house?

Nana Umande: Very well, very interesting.

Tell me, your whole life must have changed with this new baby...

Nana Umande: You know, he keeps you busy, you don't think about other things, you are busy with him...

Hilary Atkins: Yeah?

Nana Umande: Yeah, you know...

Hilary Atkins: So, he keeps you young?

Nana Umande: Yeah, busy...

Hilary Atkins: Yeah, I can see he's looking up at you, very contented in your arms...uh, now he's trying to get my tape...he really wants to hold it... (addressing the baby) but I can play it back to you in a minute, Melvin. So, you are with him the whole day?

Nana Umande: Yeah, the whole day.

Hilary Atkins: And, hm, do the other (SOS) mothers come across to visit?

Nana Umande: Yeah, they come, they come to see him.

Hilary Atkins: Yeah? It's always a nice thing to have a new baby in the village.

Nana Umande: Yeah, it is.

Hilary Atkins: I think everyone gets very excited.

Nana Umande: Yeah, even the children themselves, they come to visit him.

Hilary Atkins: And, what about the children in your house?

Nana Umande: They like him very much.

Hilary Atkins: Do they help with the...

Nana Umande: Yeah, when they come they stay with the baby, and then they go back to their dinner.

Hilary Atkins: So, before you know, he'll be crawling...is he crawling yet?

Nana Umande: Yeah, you got to see... (laughs)

Hilary Atkins: Uh, what happened?

Nana Umande: He's just started to crawl.

Hilary Atkins: And he went into something?

Nana Umande: ...just on the floor...

Hilary Atkins: Ah, ok. So, if he's crawling, then he's really...

Nana Umande: He's even standing if he needs something to hold...

Hilary Atkins: ...so he must be maybe a little older than they think...

Nana Umande: ...as I said, around 8 to 9 months...

Hilary Atkins: Yeah, that's what you would think. But, you don't have any record of his...

Nana Umande: No, I don't have, I don't have...

Hilary Atkins: He came from Nairobi children's home...and the other child that you have?

Nana Umande: ...from the same home.

Hilary Atkins: And, how was he?

Nana Umande: He's a bit quiet, but he's ok.

Hilary Atkins: It takes time...

Nana Umande: ...yeah...

Hilary Atkins: How was he received by the family?

Nana Umande: Here?

Hilary Atkins: Yes.

Nana Umande: Ah, very well. Because, I had only two boys, and when they saw another boy, they were so happy.

Hilary Atkins: Ah, good. And, do you do something special when you have new children to welcome them into the family?

Nana Umande: Yeah, we buy for them a present, so that they can feel that they are one of us.

And, is he now used to living here?

Nana Umande: Yeah, he's very much used to it.

Hilary Atkins: He's staying in the boys' room. So, now he has two brothers.

Nana Umande: Yes, he has two brothers...

Hilary Atkins: ...and a little brother, so there are four boys and five girls. And, do you have to do special food for the baby?

Nana Umande: Yes, special food for the baby...

Hilary Atkins: Do you have any baby things that help make life easier for a baby? Do you have chair for him? Does he have a special chair to sit in for him?

Nana Umande: No...

Hilary Atkins: ...and you hold him in your arms...

Nana Umande: Yeah.

Hilary Atkins: And, so when you need to go and do something, do you put him back in the cot?

Nana Umande: When I want to do something?

Hilary Atkins: Yeah.

Nana Umande: Yeah, oh I carry him on my back...

Hilary Atkins: ...of course, this is Africa...

Nana Umande: ...if I put him back in his cot, he would start crying...the best thing is to put him on my back...

Hilary Atkins: So, when you push him on your back, he's quiet?

Nana Umande: Yeah.

Hilary Atkins: Well, this is the way...

Nana Umande: ...because if I put him in his cot and I'm not there, he'll cry...

Hilary Atkins: What about nappies? Are they disposables (you're using)?

Nana Umande: Yeah.

Hilary Atkins: You do. And, they must be quite expensive...

Nana Umande: Yeah, quite expensive, but the office is giving me that.

Hilary Atkins: Right. I imagine now, have they gone up with food prices, as well, I mean, nappies have gone up, too?

Nana Umande: I think it's easier to use the disposables than the nappies.

Hilary Atkins: Yeah, well, you have a lot of washing to do otherwise, and that could take a long time.(addressing the baby) So, Melvin, do you want to say something? Do you want to say something? Hey, you've got quiet. Suddenly, you're quiet.

Nana Umande: He likes Atiena very much, and he knows his name...

Hilary Atkins: Atiena is his brother?

Nana Umande: Yeah.

Hilary Atkins: Ok. (addressing the baby) You want to say something? Look...say something...no, he's not going to say something. With all the noise now, now he wants to take it. Ok, that's great. Uhm, very quiet. I'm going to turn it off; I'm going to stop now...

(the baby makes a sound)

...oh, now he did say something, actually...

SOS Children has been workinng in Kenya since 1975 and has four unique children's villages based at Eldoret, Meru, Mombassa and Nairobi. These children's villages care for a total of 450 children and an additional 6,000 children and their families receive support through projects like SOS Schools, SOS Medical Centres and SOS Social Centres.

You can support children like Melvin by sponsoring a child.