Hellen

Name:  Hellen
Gender:  Girl
Reported birthdate:  November 23, 2017 (currently age 6)
Favorite color:  Green
Favorite food:  Posho and beans
Favorite activity:  Fetching water
Favorite subject:  Literacy
Child is happy when…  She is with her mother
Child wants to be a…  Nurse
Home information:  Hellen is growing up in the village of Bugoi in rural northeastern Uganda. She lives with her mother, Sarah, and her father, Stephen. Hellen is their only biological child, but her parents are caring for 5 other children as well. Her family supports themselves by “digging”—they grow crops such as cassava, simsim (sesame), and sweet potatoes to eat and to sell when they can. However, they struggle to meet all of their needs. Hellen helps at home by fetching water and washing utensils.
School information:  Hellen is a student at the Bugoi Haven of Hope Nursery and Primary School. She is currently in Middle Class (the second year of nursery school). 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, Hellen 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 God will give Hellen good health and provide for her family.