HELENA: S396-SOP

Helena has been promoted to the second grade! Her teacher reports that she is a great student who puts in a lot of effort. Helena is one of the first to arrive every day and is both quiet and very smart. Outside of school, she wakes up early to fetch water from a nearby well for her family and helps with laundry and cleaning before and after school. She continues to live with her mother and still dreams of becoming a nurse one day. Sponsored by:  Sarah and Mathew Deering

Helena was promoted to first grade and is very happy to return to school.  She was warm and friendly during our update interview.  Eleven-year-old Helena still lives with her mother and wants to be a nurse when she grows up.  It’s a joy to follow GPA supported students and witness their growth.  Sponsored by:  Sarah and Mathew Deering

Meet Helena, who has been generously sponsored by an Anonymous Donor (GB). She is 8 years old and is in the K-1 this year. Helena lives in Sopea, Liberia with her mother.  When Helena was 3 years old, she was given to her uncle to raise because her mother could not afford another mouth to feed. Unfortunately, that uncle passed away from the Ebola virus. After his death, other family members were afraid to take all of his children, including Helena, because they were afraid that the children may have contacted the virus.  When Helena’s mother heard the story, she went and brought Helena back home. But she is unemployed and simply cannot afford to feed all of her children and send them to school. Her mother told our GPA team “when you have to choose food or education for your children, you can only choose food. Not getting education will not kill you. But not eating will kill you. Things are not easy”.  Helena’s interests are learning, and she hopes to be a nurse when she grows up.