“I write him letters and pay for his education”

A Belarusian woman took a boy from Uganda under her guardianship.

For two months now, Yevgeniya (name changed) has been writing letters to an unfamiliar boy in Uganda and sending him money for his education. Fifteen-year-old Henry dreams of becoming a doctor, but his family has no money for his education. Yevgeniya told MOST why she decided to become the boy’s guardian.

Yevgeniya has been living in Poland for four years. For several years, she has occasionally helped charitable projects in Africa. She learned about this initiative from a colleague of hers. The colleague travels to Africa periodically and helps local residents.

— As a rule, people go there for several months. Donations are used to buy beds for African families. Flooding is common there, so furniture always becomes unusable. In addition, they help with medical treatment, food, and stationery.

Previously, Yevgeniya sent money for children’s food and other needs, but this year she took a school student under her permanent guardianship for the first time.

— An acquaintance of mine said that there were two children from Africa who needed guardians. She couldn’t provide ongoing financial support for both of them, but she didn’t want to choose between them. You choose one, but what about the other? She asked whether I wanted to join in helping.

Yevgeniya agreed immediately. She signed an agreement with a foundation that helps African children. The agreement is open-ended. It can be terminated if, for some reason, the guardian is no longer able to help the child in their care.

— The main thing is to do it in advance so as not to interrupt the child’s support and education.

As part of this assistance, the guardian must stay in touch with the child, write him encouraging letters, and pay for his schooling.

— School education there is fee-based. And not everyone has the opportunity to study. As a rule, far from everyone can afford to attend school. Every month I write him letters and pay for his schooling—200 zlotys a month, — says the Belarusian woman.

There are three beds and two old mattresses in the family

Yevgeniya was able to get to know the child in her care better through their correspondence. The boy wrote his story to her.

Fifteen-year-old Henry lives in a village in western Uganda with relatives in a wooden house. The family has only three beds and two old mattresses, which they have to share. His parents earn money through occasional odd jobs and a small farm, but this is not enough to meet all the needs of their large family.

Henry is one of nine children. But two of his brothers died: one was hit by a car, and the other died five years ago after a prolonged illness. Not all the children in the family were able to complete their education: some left school because of illness, others because of poverty. Once, their father even had to sell part of the land to pay for one of his sons’ medical treatment.

One brother set the house on fire, another threatened to kill him

When Henry was little, his older brother, who had serious mental health problems, set the house on fire while their parents were away. The boy was inside and suffered severe burns. He spent more than three months in the hospital.

The situation in the family remained unsafe: one of his older brothers threatened to kill Henry. So his mother placed him in the care of an uncle who ran a home for orphaned children. He spent five years there. After the facility closed, the boy moved in with his grandmother and grandfather, and after his grandfather’s death, his grandmother continued to raise him.

— Despite all this, Henry very much wants to get an education—to attend a local school, then enroll in university and become a doctor. His dream is to save people. And I will be happy if my involvement helps him achieve this, — says Yevgeniya.