Ocua Zachariah Emmanuel

Name:  Ocua Zachariah Emmanuel (goes by Ocua)
Gender:  Boy
Reported birthdate:  October 28, 2015 (currently 7 years old)
Favorite food:  Rice and chicken
Favorite color:  Red
Favorite subject:  Reading and writing
Favorite activity:  Learning and playing with friends
Child is happy when...  He is at school
Home information:  Ocua is growing up in the village of Bugoi in rural northeastern Uganda. His family resides in Stage, a small trading center within the village. Ocua lives with his father, Peter, and his mother, Stellah. He has three brothers. His family supports themselves by “digging”—they rent a piece of land on which they grow maize, sorghum, and other crops to eat and to sell when they can. Ocua helps at home by sweeping and fetching water.
School information:  Ocua is a student at the Bugoi Haven of Hope Nursery and Primary School. He is currently in middle class, the second year of nursery school (similar to preschool). In Uganda, nursery school lasts for three years and is followed by seven years of primary school and up to six years of secondary school. At school, Ocua will continue to learn and play, be taught about God, and receive meals, medical care, and clothing.
Village information:  In Bugoi, most people live in small groupings of mud huts with thatched roofs and depend on small-scale farming or gardening to feed themselves. This is often made difficult by drought, which can lead to poor harvests and famine. The Haven of Hope school is located beside a lake, where some villagers also engage in fishing. Families tend to be large, and many adults care for orphans in addition to their biological children. Disease, including HIV and AIDS, is common and has left many children without one or both of their parents. Poverty also keeps many children from attending school, as families struggle to meet their basic needs and afford school fees.
Prayer requests:  Please pray that Ocua will grow in knowledge and have good health.