It’s Okay to Dream
Remember when you were a child, full of dreams for the future? Most of us were encouraged to dream about what we would be in the future, a doctor, lawyer, nurse, teacher…it seems like something we talked about from the time we were very small. Maybe you dreamed about what kind of family you would have, where you would live, the kind of house you would love to have.
But, the very vulnerable children in the world do not have this luxury. Many of them are only thinking about how to survive through the next day and assume they will just lead the same lives as their parents. In Uganda, young children can go to government schools initially, but not everything is free. There are still school supplies, uniforms and shoes to purchase. At exam time, there are fees to pay. As the years progress, it becomes more difficult for the neediest children to remain in school. Sometimes, they are asked to work during the day to help provide food for the family. This is why only 32% of children finish through 7th grade. Then, all secondary schools, even government secondary schools, charge school fees, which is why only 64% of those who complete primary school transition to Secondary School (https://www.ubos.org/explore-statistics/21/).
Peri is a little girl who is at risk of not completing her education. Her parents struggle to provide, even though they work hard to earn a little money doing manual farm labor. Feeding their children is difficult, so Peri is being raised by her aunti. She attends a government school, but they cannot manage to pay for her uniforms and supplies.
This sweet little girl dreams of becoming a doctor, a dream we can help her pursue through sponsorship. A small investment in her life can keep this girl in school to have a hopeful future. Her older sister, Bridget, was sponsored years ago and is currently attending the top secondary school in Kapchorwa as a high performing student.
As you think about what it means to dream, would you consider joining Hope Africa International in providing a hopeful future for Peri? We would love to see her succeed, just as her older sister has.