Catherine Chaka

Name:  Catherine Chaka
Gender:  Girl
Reported birthdate:  April 4, 2012 (currently 10 years old)
Favorite activity:  Running and learning new subjects
Favorite subject:  Math
Something I have learned about God:  He is merciful
Child is happy when...  Learning and playing with her friends
Home information:  Catherine is growing up in the rural town of Luanshya in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. The Haven of Hope school reports: “Catherine is a single orphan living with her mother and siblings. She has 3 brothers and a sister—she is the last born. Their mother provides for them through her small business of selling vegetables on the streets. The greatest challenge faced by the family is the provision of food and other basic needs. When the mother is unwell, it becomes difficult for her to fend for the family, and they struggle.”
School information:  Catherine is in grade 4 at the Haven of Hope Luanshya Primary School, where she has been a student since 2020. She needs a sponsor to support her continued education. At school, she will continue to learn and play, be taught about God, and receive meals, medical care, and clothing. In Zambia, primary school lasts for seven years and is followed by five years of secondary school.
Community information:  Haven of Hope's students in Luanshya live in a number of compounds (densely populated communities). Catherine’s family resides in Mikomfwa. In the compounds, unemployment and poverty rates are high, and people primarily depend on menial jobs for survival—working, for example, as garden hands, maids, and small-scale farmers. Families tend to be large and live in small houses. The compounds have been greatly afflicted by HIV and AIDS, leaving many children without one or both of their biological parents. Orphaned children are often cared for by their grandparents, aunts, or uncles; other children live in child-headed homes. Living in poverty, most families struggle to meet their basic needs and afford school fees for their children.
Prayer requests:  Please pray for Catherine’s family and for her education.