Rachael

Name:  Rachael
Gender:  Girl
Reported birthdate:  July 2, 2008 (currently age 16)
Favorite color:  Yellow
Favorite food:  Cassava
Favorite activity:  Digging (farming)
Favorite subjects:  English and mathematics
Child is happy when…  She is studying
Child wants to be an…  Accountant
Home information:  Rachael is growing up in the village of Bugoi in rural northeastern Uganda. She lives with her mother, Santa, and her father, Michael. She has 3 brothers and 3 sisters. She is the second born. Her family supports themselves by “digging”—they grow crops such as cassava, maize, millet and sorghum to eat and to sell when they can. However, they struggle to meet all of their needs. Rachael helps at home by digging, collecting firewood, fetching water, cooking, and washing clothes and plates.
School information:  Rachael is a student at the Bugoi Haven of Hope Nursery and Primary School. She is currently in P6 (primary school, grade 6). 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, Rachael 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 Rachael’s family good health and help her in her studies.