Pearl
“One can only fail to perform well in class when she does not know what she wants. I have free meals, beds, books, pens – what then can make me fail?”
Pearl is one of four children, and comes from a village in Northern Uganda. Her father died of HIV/AIDS, leaving her and her siblings with their mother who was HIV positive as well. Soon after her father’s death, Pearl’s mother abandoned her and her other siblings – leaving the four children to care for themselves.
At such a young age, Pearl was forced to act as a parent to her other siblings, even having to administer medication to her youngest brother who is HIV positive. They lived with little to eat, no clothing, and no bedding. Each day they would watch as other village children went to school while they worked in people’s gardens for hours every day just to earn enough money to buy a cup of beans.
Eventually, Pearl joined a village Peace Club and was enrolled in EI’s Child Sponsorship program. Having been out of school, Pearl found reading difficult, but she was determined – saying, “One can only fail to perform well in class when she does not know what she wants. I have free meals, beds, books, pens – what then can make me fail?”
Pearl excels in school and continues to have a resolute and determined spirit.
Impact the lives of children like Pearl
Sponsoring a child like Pearl provides art-focused trauma care, education, food, healthcare, peace building/leadership development, and spiritual care. 100% of donations go directly to supporting your sponsored child!