Eunice Phiri

Name:  Eunice Phiri
Gender:  Girl
Reported birthdate:  December 27, 2010 (8 years old)
Favorite food:  Rice
Favorite activity:  Playing ball games
Child is happy when...  She is playing ball with friends
Child wants to be a...  Doctor
Home information:  Eunice is growing up in the rural town of Luanshya in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. She lives with her mother and grandmother, and has one younger brother. Eunice’s grandmother provides for their family through small-scale farming, but she has a hard time meeting all of their needs. They struggle with hunger and the payment of school fees for the children. Eunice helps at home by cleaning the house every morning. Her most immediate need is education.
School information:  Eunice previously attended preschool but has been unable to continue her education due to her family's financial struggles. With sponsorship, she will join the Haven of Hope Luanshya Primary School, starting grade 1 in January 2020. There, she will receive an education, learn about the love of 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 live in a number of compounds (slums). Eunice’s family resides in the Mikomfwa compound in Luanshya. It is one of the most populous local areas, with high rates of unemployment and illiteracy. People in this compound primarily depend on menial jobs for survival—working, for example, as garden boys, maids, and small-scale farmers. Most families live in small mud houses. Families tend to be large, with a lot of children depending on unemployed parents, or on relatives in the absence of their parents. The compound has been greatly afflicted by HIV and AIDS, leaving most children without one or both of their biological parents. Alcoholism is also a problem within many households. Poverty has kept most families struggling to meet their basic needs and afford school fees for their children.
Prayer requests:  Pray that Eunice will have good health and that God will provide for her family’s needs.