Sky

Name:  Sky
Gender:  Girl
Reported birthdate:  August 16, 2013 (currently age 11)
Favorite color:  Pink
Favorite food:  Chicken
Favorite activity:  Playing netball
Favorite subject:  English
Child is happy when…  She is watching cartoons
Child wants to be a…  Hairdresser
Home information:  Sky is growing up in the village of Bugoi in rural northeastern Uganda. She lives with her uncle, Benjamin. Her mother passed away, and her father’s whereabouts are unknown. Sky has a younger brother and an older sister, who live with another relative. She is the second born. Benjamin and Sky support themselves by “digging”—they grow crops such as maize to eat and to sell when they can. Benjamin also operates a grinding mill. However, he is unable to support Sky’s education. She helps at home by cooking, sweeping, and washing clothes and plates.
School information:  Sky is a student at the Bugoi Haven of Hope Nursery and Primary School. She is currently in P4 (primary school, grade 4). 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, Sky 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 Sky good health and good academic performance.