Mercy and her family's new house
Listening Mercy is 6 years old and lives in Kenya. Her family has recently built a new house and it has changed their lives. Join us to learn about her daily life, games and how the house came to be!
Mercy playing in the garden
After school, Mercy plays with her cousins, Joseph and Munjao. They make up stories about Joseph driving a truck and Munjao being a zookeeper who protects giraffes from danger. Mercy herself takes care of her dolls.
- I'll take care of the children," says Mercy with a smile.
Family is when everyone is together and helps each other, says Mercy.
Family is when everyone is together and helps each other, says Mercy.
Wild animals roam here
Kenya is home to many protected wild animals. Mercy and her family have seen both giraffes and elephants passing near their farm.
- "Once, an elephant walked past our house," says Mercy.
In Kenya there are elephants.
In Kenya there are elephants.
From hut to brick house
Mercy and her family used to live in a hut with a grass roof. Now her father has built a house out of bricks. He made the bricks himself and sold them to buy materials like tin roofs, windows and doors.
- "It's good to have a door that locks," says Mercy. "Then we can feel safe when we leave the house.
The family's new house, built with bricks burned by Mercy's father.
The family's new house, built with bricks burned by Mercy's father.
A home with several rooms
The new house has a bedroom and space for the family's things. The old hut is now used as a kitchen.
- My father is cooking there, but the smoke hurts my eyes," says Mercy.
Despite the smoke, my father is happy that they have a house where they can live safely.
This text was originally published 1 March 2018.
Published: 02 December 2024
