| The Girls of the Blue House |
The Blue House is now home to these eleven girls. They all go to school, do homework, and help to cook, clean, and maintain the Blue House, its land, and the gardens. See more photos of their everyday life. Read about their life in We Share the Basic Need to Live, in Beatrice's Hope Newsletter, page 2. |
Sarah, Secondary 2
Sarah and her sister Grace lost their parents to AIDS about 7 years ago. Before they came to the Blue House in 2004, they were living by themselves. During holiday, she stays with her Uncle Elphoz and helps with cleaning, laundry, farming and the cattle. Sarah, whose favorite subjects are English and Social Studies, likes going to school and wants to become a nurse. She passed her national exams and began secondary school in February, 2007. Sarah is a leader; she was elected “head girl” at school and is “in charge” of several hundred other girls there. Confident and respected, she is also the leader of the Blue House girls.
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Agnes, Secondary 2
Aggie, who loves math and playing soccer, is captain of the girls’ volleyball team at school. She is a leader in a quiet way, and wants us to know that she is “disciplined.” Her favorite color is white because it looks “very smart.” Aggie’s Mother left when she was younger and her whereabouts are unknown. Her Father, although living, is considered “helpless” and is supported by Aggie’s Grandmother. On holiday, she goes to stay with her Stepmother whom she says doesn’t like her and abuses her. She works while there – cleaning, digging, washing, and fetching water. Aggie, passed the national exams for secondary school, and started her new school in February, 2007. She hopes to continue her education and become a nurse.
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Allen, Secondary 2
Allen enjoys Science and English at school, and is also captain of the girl’s netball (basketball) team. Like Aggie and Sarah, Allen is passed the national exams (called Primary Leaving Exams) and moveed on to secondary school in February, 2007. She never knew her Father as he died in 1990. Although she stays with her Mother in Obuzinga on holiday, she cannot live with her because her Mother is trying to manage several older sons who are “uncontrollable.” In fact, one of her brothers was hospitalized and died last summer. Allen’s goal is to become a nurse, “so that I can treat people who are treating me.”
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Grace, Primary 7
Although Grace is shy, and she looks down a lot when she speaks, her favorite color is red. She is third in her class of 90, which is excellent. Provia says Grace is “very clever” (ie. smart, intelligent) in everything but mathematics, and English is her favorite subject. She and her sister, Sarah, lived alone for five years before coming to the Blue House. after the death of their Mother. At the time of their Mother’s death, Grace was five and Sarah was nine. Grace, like so many of the girls, wants to become a nurse because “it’s a good job.” She would like people to know that “I am a hardworking girl.”
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Peace, Primary 7
Peace is one of the second set of sisters at the Blue House...her sibling is Flavia. Their Mother left them, and their Father has died. Peace is very shy. She speaks softly, looking down and smiling. She works at her lessons and is considered an average student. Peace hopes to become a doctor because “when you are a doctor, you can get a lot of money.” Asked what she would do with the money, she said she would “help people and even buy clothes.” In her free time, Peace said she likes to fetch water which she does when she is at her uncle’s house on holiday.
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Evas, Primary 6
Evas is the daughter of Medius, the matron, and the sister of Dorcus and Ovios. She is rather shy and her voice is very soft. An average student, Evas likes Social Studies and enjoys studying and doing homework in her spare time. She would like to become a head teacher, “to lead other teachers and make a lot of money.” She wants to use her money “to help the needy ones.”
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Rosemare, Primary 4
Rosemare is a little girl who loves to laugh and invites others to join her good mood. She loves being a clown, making funny faces and dancing. (She shows us these skills in the video!) Her Mother is unable to care for Rosemare, and her Father either left or has died. While her favorite subjects are English and Math, Rosemare is doing “fair” in school according to Provia. Half laughing, Sere commented one day “That Rosemare is the stubbornist girl!” It seems she never wants to settle down and work, preferring instead to play “probably because she’s the littlest.” At this point in her life, Rosemare thinks she would like to be a nurse.
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Flavia, Primary 4
When visiting Uganda, Beatrice found Flavia living with her Grandmother. She did not attend school, and her job was to keep her Grandmother company and wash her feet. Flavia and her sister, Peace, were left alone by their Mother and their Father has died. Provia describes her as “clever,” (smart, intelligent) and Flavia ranks seventh in her class of 140 students. She likes math and would like to become a math teacher. Her nickname, “Chitama,” was given to her because she has big round cheeks when she smiles, which is often. She and the other girls laughed when explaining this term of endearment to visitors.
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Dorcus, Primary 3
Dorcus is the sister of Evas and Ovios, and their Mother, Medius, is the matron at the Blue House. She likes English and Social Studies in school. In her free time, like all girls her age, she loves to play. She thinks she would like to be a teacher when she grows up.
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Ovios, Primary 1
Ovios likes “to write” when she goes to school, and she loves to play. Her Mother is Medius, and her sisters are Evas and Dorcus. She sings a little song that goes, “our animal has got a hide, come we stretch it.” Ovios is also learning her colors.
Ovious, Primary 7
Ovious is new to the Blue House. Both her parents are dead. We do not have a photo of her yet. |
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