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 three months old and his father died when he was three years old.
An uncle took them in, but he also died, just two days before Harry had to write his grade eight exams (these exams determined his eligibility to continue on to secondary school).
His school teacher took Harry into his home for awhile 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 three little girls.
She was seven months pregnant just two or three weeks ago when she went into labour prematurely.
Harry said his sister had malaria and her weak physical condition complicated her pregnancy.
She had twin boys that did not survive.
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.
Because of her weak condition she has been unable to work for awhile.
This past weekend the brick wall that was in the section of their house where Harry’s bedroom was collapsed in the night due to heavy rain.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
Harry has been staying with a friend this week, but his family has no money to buy soap to clean his uniforms and the rest of the mess.
There is no money for food, so they’ve had nights where they (including the little girls) have gone to bed hungry .
There is no money to pay
school fees and there is still an outstanding balance from the first term.
Harry is exceptionally bright and 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 CDN = $225 ($75 times three terms per school year)
Identity card fee (mandatory for government exams) = CDN $3
Government examination fee per student = CDN $7.53
TOTAL = $235.53
If you will sponsor Harry, e-mail me at oceanInez@hotmail.com.
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.
Inez McGowan is a Quesnel teacher who is currently working as an English teacher and counselor in Blantyre, Malawi.