Benard

Name:  Benard
Gender:  Boy
Reported birthdate:  June 6, 2013 (currently age 11)
Favorite color:  Yellow
Favorite food:  Fish
Favorite activity:  Playing football
Favorite subject:  Mathematics
Child is happy when…  He is promoted to the next class
Child wants to be a…  Driver
Home information:  Benard is growing up in the village of Bugoi in rural northeastern Uganda. He lives with his mother, Delish, and his father, Sam. He has 3 brothers and 2 sisters. He is the fifth born. His family supports themselves by “digging”—they grow crops such as maize and sweet potatoes to eat and to sell when they can. However, they struggle to meet all of their needs. Benard helps at home by sweeping.
School information:  Benard is a student at the Bugoi Haven of Hope Nursery and Primary School. He is currently in Top Class (the third year of nursery school). His teachers report that he is a bright child, but his schooling was delayed due to his family’s inability to pay school fees. 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, Benard will continue to learn and play, be taught about God, and receive meals, medical care, and clothing. His sister Lucky also attends the Haven of Hope school.
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 God will give Benard success in his education.