A Former Sponsor Child Gives Back
Akumu Beatrice is not just a teacher at the Village of Eden Christian Primary School in Uganda; she grew up in our Child Sponsorship program as a child. Beatrice has served with us as an elementary and "Pathways" teacher for two years. Pathways is a remedial class for students who lack foundational skills. She has been a great addition to our faculty, not just because she holds a degree in Secondary Math and Economics but also because she grew up in our community.
She came into our Child Sponsorship program in 2010, shortly after the death of her mother. Unfortunately, her story is not unique. Her father desired to provide her with an education but struggled to work due to an illness. Education is not free in Uganda, and many families cannot provide for basic necessities in life, much less education fees. Soon after Beatrice entered her second year of high school, her grandmother began to care for her because her father passed away.
We are grateful for the investment that Beatrice's sponsor made in our ministry and her life. Beatrice is passionate about seeing our students succeed in all areas of life. Not only does she teach our students academically, but she also leads a New Believer's Class. She has a heart to provide counseling for older girls on social and spiritual issues. On Saturdays, she teaches a class in our community children's program, "Esangalo." Each Sunday, she is active in her church, singing in the choir, translating the local language into English, and investing in the lives of her church's young people. When you ask Beatrice why she does all that she does, she says, "The Lord has blessed me greatly, and I can't help but give back."
