Consolata has been in our programs since primary school. Six years ago her mother died and then Consolata’s grandmother, who took over her care, soon passed as well. It was these two events that formed a dream in Consolata to work in medicine in order to prevent such losses for others.
Consolata began striving in earnest to make her dream come true. With a stellar score on her high school exit exams, she was admitted to a clinical medicine program at a well-respected university. She has now finished with four years of medical training and will soon begin a one-year hospital internship. Once she completes her internship, she will be a fully registered and qualified clinical officer, akin to a physician’s assistant in the US.
Consolata says that the most rewarding part about working in medicine is not diagnoses or triage, but bringing hope to a patient and their family. “I love the emotional part of it, more than the physical part,” she says.
However, through our Healthy Homes program the family received iron sheets, cement, and other materials to build their own brand new latrine and washroom. They also received fertilizer and higher-yielding seed for farming, significantly increasing their harvest. At this point we were able to begin planning for Collins to move back in with his family, and he joined them at the end of 2019 after completing sixth grade from the Care Centre.
She has not been sponsored since she finished high school. Instead, she has gone through university with support from our Education Fund. This fund helps students continue in school despite fluctuations in sponsorship.
“If it were not for UKR, I don’t think I would have been here. I say thank you and may God bless you,” beams Consolata. As for us, we say thank you to all of our dedicated supporters because without you, we would not be here to assist Consolata.
in sight. The family is slowly being phased-out of our support program, yet the future looks promising for them because the burden of school fees is less and they’re now able to earn more for themselves.
With gratitude to our dedicated staff, the family’s sponsor, and our other generous donors, we wish to offer heartfelt congratulations to Flora, Collins, Secotne, Brain, Dennis, Eugine, Centrine, Branice, Bianca, and Immaculate. When the family “graduates” from our program, not so long from now, they will be a shining example of how our new Family Care model works together with families as they rise out of poverty and have means to support themselves to stay out of poverty.
BANNER PHOTO: Consolata at the Ministry of Health with her classmates.
