The odds were stacked against *Reina, who was born with sickle cell anaemia in a desperately poor family in northern Uganda, and then experienced the trauma of being displaced by rebel insurgents at the age of seven.
Her mum was HIV positive and frequently ill, and as the oldest child, Reina was often responsible, despite her own poor health, for helping to look after her two younger siblings.
In 2006, at the age of nine, Reina joined Global Care’s sponsorship programme in Soroti. Her health remained poor and staff frequently needed to take Reina for blood transfusions. They also had to step in when Reina’s mother tried to commit suicide in despair.
Despite all these challenges Reina completed secondary education, and went on to study early childhood and development.
Our Soroti manager David was thrilled to bump into her unexpectedly this summer. When visiting a primary school attended by one of our sponsored children from The Ark, he spotted Reina teaching in another classroom. It was an emotional reunion, full of laughter and exclamations of ‘how you’ve grown”!
Hear more stories about the tremendous impact of sponsorship.
Ella-Sophia, our Donor Development who witnessed the meeting, says: “He was overwhelmed with emotion to see her now in charge of her own class, supporting children who, like her, needed a hand-up in life!”
Thank you to all our sponsors. Your faithful support helps a vulnerable child grow into a strong, independent adult.
*Name changed to protect her identity
I want to help
Children's names are changed and their photographs obscured for reasons of protection.