Zachariah

Name:  Zachariah
Gender:  Boy
Reported birthdate:  2014 or 2015 (currently about age 11)
Favorite color:  Red
Favorite food:  Fish and posho
Favorite activity:  Writing
Favorite subject:  Mathematics
Child is happy when…  Someone gives him a gift
Child wants to be a…  Driver
Home information:  Zachariah is growing up in the village of Bugoi in rural northeastern Uganda. He lives with his mother and father and has three brothers—he is the second born. An uncle also lives with them, making them a household of seven. Zachariah’s father supports the family through his small business of selling charcoal. The family also supports themselves by “digging”—they grow crops to eat and to sell when they can. However, they struggle because they do not have their own farmland and must rent other people’s land for digging. Zachariah helps his family at home by fetching water, washing plates, and grazing their goats.
School information:  Zachariah is a student at the Bugoi Haven of Hope Nursery and Primary School. He is currently in P2 (primary grade 2). 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, Zachariah 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.
Child's prayer request:  Please pray that Zachariah will do well in school.