Suubi is twelve and the first baby to be born at Suubi Medical Centre.
She has been supported until last year by Denis, who founded Suubi Medical Centre, but with mounting responsibilities and my wish to sponsor a child that I could make a difference to, I took over her sponsorship.
I am regularly kept up to date with her schooling and receive photos showing me her new school uniform, shoes and things I've helped her with for school. As with schooling here, it isn't just fees that have to be paid, but also lunch money, uniform and books. It costs approximately £30 a month to support Suubi fully to go to school, where she boards with a teacher/foster carer.
Suubi goes to school in the town of Busia, on the Uganda/Kenya border. Her mother moved her away from the medical centre village when she went to live with her own mother, Suubi's grandmother. Suubi also has a little brother Rayan. The family live in extreme poverty and Suubi was suffering badly when she was going to the school as a day girl, which is why she now lives with Jacqueline. Her mother visits two or three times a week.
Meeting her today was wonderful. I was introduced to Jacqueline and also to Joseph who works with Jacqueline and who is the person I communicate with regarding Suubi's welfare etc. Suubi was extremely shy. They rarely have a white person visit the school and I would imagine I may be one of the only white people (Mzungu) she has ever met! Suubi had made me a beautiful napkin holder as a gift which was beautiful. We took some food for the family of eight children that Jacqueline cares for. The day was quite overwhelming for me so goodness knows how Suubi felt.
After our visit we went to see Suubi's mother who unfortunately was not home, but met her grandmother and little brother Rayan.
I will tell you more about Suubi in the weeks to come, so please watch out for my blogs about her. If you would like to support a youngster like Suubi, please let me know.