The next day, we carry out two school visits. In the morning, we meet Sister Margaret Lydia, the principal of Sega Girl’s secondary school. All three girls are in school, but regrettably one of them, Anne, has a health problem. She has received treatment and feels better, but we decide to arrange a health check for her soon. After interviewing the three girls, we say good-bye to them and pick up Everlyne at the gate. Everlyne goes to a different secondary school in the region. She was sent away for fees, a measure that clearly shouldn’t be applied on sponsored students! We assure she can go back to school right away and later proudly learn that Everlyne ranked no. 1 in two subjects and was therefore presented with two book vouchers. Keep it up! After a quick lunch we proceed to the second school, where we are warmly welcomed and informed about the five student’s performance and well being. This school impresses us with an innovative method of mitigating the daily struggle of the poorest: the Franciscan basket. Wealthier students contribute to the basket in order to assist their less fortunate peers. However, the basket cannot fully cover the great need of the young ladies. We are shown some relevant documents about our students and are shocked to find a record listing all orphans attending this school. We find more than 150 names on that list and are cruelly reminded how overwhelming the number of needy children still is.
Later, we meet “our” girls, and we are truly happy to find them performing well. At the same time we are informed about the very harsh case of Marceline who was abandoned by her uncle, then by her sponsor, who has never paid a single shilling. Marceline would really deserve sponsorship: the total orphan is the top student of the year! Imagine, no. 1 out of 250! I shall try my very best to arrange sponsorship for her. It is simply heartbreaking to see such a bright young mind left out.
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