In 2010 Malayaka House decided to bring to the house a group of 10 girls that were living in another orphanage home notorious for unspeakable abuse and neglect. We had not planned this and it happened because of the situation Robert saw when he got involved trying to help this other home.

For some time they had to share a small room and beds, but since the very first moment they adapted to the house, aunties and the rest of the kids incredible easily and happily. And they became a part of our family.

Shakira was the youngest of this group of girls. She was just 5 years old and the rest treated her if she was their baby-daughter.

When she arrived to the house, Shakira was serious, shy, quiet and stoic. She was not very good with strangers and would take her a long time to start talking and showing some interest. She was not talkative but would listen to the aunties and help them with whatever they would ask her to do.

It took her some months, even years, to become the confident young lady that she is now. She is 9 years and she is responsible, mature, gentle, quiet and intelligent. She is always helping out in the house and is the one that the aunties trust the most, together with Mastula.

She wakes up the first one in the morning and helps the aunties to start the fire and get tea and porridge ready for the rest of the kids to have breakfast before they go to school. He irons the uniforms, together with Maggie and Mastula, and on the weekends helps the aunties peal the vegetables, remove the stones for the rice and sweep and clean the compound.

Since last year she shares a room with Mastula, Maggie and Mary. They all love having their own room and take perfect care of it; they share their small space and are happy together. They all like to jump on the rope and play with the elastic. She is learning how to swim and she just loves it.

Shakira also enjoys spending time alone thinking about her own things. She loves babies and since Georgie is at the house, she is the happiest girl in the world. She loves spending time with him, carrying, feeding, playing and loving him.

Shakira is our best student. She is smart, intelligent, responsible, and loves going to school. She studies Primary and in 2014 was elected as the vice president of the Pupil’s Council. Everyday she wears a badge proudly and loves helping the teachers and the other pupils at school. Her teachers love her and encourage her to keep studying and shining like the star she is. She will definitely be whatever she wants to be when she grows up. As of today, she wants to be a teacher.

She is good at every subject but especially loves computers. She learns quickly and finds her way perfectly, as if she was born with a computer in her hands.

She is quiet, gentle, well behaved, mature, and never has a problem with anyone. More than talk she loves to observe and watch the world, and it feels like she is analyzing it and its people. Her hugs have double value because she is not very affectionate, but when it happens one can feel all of her energy and it is magical.

We feel lucky to have her in our lives and proud of how she is.