HARRY

January 25th

To say that Harry's life has been difficult is a huge understatement. He is an orphan with two older sisters.  Harry's mother died when he was just 3 months old. His father died when he was 3 years old.  An uncle took them in, but he also died--just 2 days before Harry had to write his grade 8 exams (these exams determined his eligibility to continue on to secondary school). His school teacher took Harry into his home until the end of the school year when there was nowhere else to live.


Life has been one struggle after another for Harry and his sisters. His married sister has been supporting him for the past while. She has 3 little girls. She was 7 months pregnant just  two or three weeks ago when she went into labour prematurely. Harry said his sister had had malaria and her weak physical condition complicated her pregnancy. She had twin boys that did not survive (there is no neonatal intensive care unit here). She was kept in the hospital for a week because of complications and is still very anemic.


Harry's sister has been the primary wage earner in the household (her husband had a job but he was not paid, so he is looking for other work). They also care for her husband's younger sister. Because of her weak condition she has been unable to work for awhile. This past weekend, a brick wall that was in the section of their house where Harry's bedroom was collapsed in the night (the recent heavy rains have caused many such incidents in houses where the mud bricks have not been reinforced with cement). Fortunately, no one was injured.

Harry has been staying with a friend this week, but his sister has no money to buy soap to clean his uniforms and the rest of the mess. There is no money for food either, so they've had nights where they (including the little girls) have gone to bed hungry .



There is also no money to pay school fees--and there is still an outstanding balance from the first term.  Harry is exceptionally bright. He is taking advanced mathematics during lunch hours (the only student to do so). I have had conversations with this young man and I believe he has the potential to become a government leader, or perhaps a diplomat. His dream is to not only improve his own life, but to be the first in his family to graduate--and to be able to help his entire village someday. Harry desperately needs a sponsor: someone who will pay his school fees so that he can finish his final year, write the exams, and thereby be eligible for a university scholarship.
How much money? Far, far less than in Canada:

Tuition fees = $225.00     ($75.00 x 3 terms)
Identity card fee = $ 3.00
(mandatory for government exams)
Government exam fee per student  = $   7.53
TOTAL =   $235.53
If you will sponsor Harry, please email me at: 
oceanInez@hotmail.com


Sponsors for other orphaned students are also needed.
Donations to help Harry's family (and other orphans
like Harry) can be made through Friends of Malawi
Fellowship in Edmonton or through Bethel Church in
Quesnel.