Philomena

Name:  Philomena
Gender:  Girl
Reported birthdate:  July 17, 2018 (currently age 6)
Favorite color:  Red
Favorite food:  Fish
Favorite activity:  Washing utensils
Favorite subject:  Mathematics
Child is happy when…  She is going to school
Child wants to be a…  Nurse
Home information:  Philomena is growing up in the village of Bugoi in rural northeastern Uganda. She lives with her mother, Molly, and her father, Denis. She has 3 brothers and 2 sisters. She is the fifth born. Her family supports themselves by “digging”—they grow crops such as cassava, millet, and sorghum to eat and to sell when they can. Molly also cooks at a local restaurant once a week on market days. However, their family struggles to meet all of their needs. Philomena helps at home by sweeping.
School information:  Philomena is a student at the Bugoi Haven of Hope Nursery and Primary School. She is currently in Top Class (the third 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, Philomena 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 Philomena and her family good health.