Haimat’s dream of a better tomorrow
Haimat, age 15, has big dreams for her future.
Fifteen-year-old Haimat is a bright, determined young girl living in the Lori community of Uganda. From a young age, she has carried a powerful dream in her heart:
“I want to see people in my community living a healthy and happy life. As a nurse, I will treat all the sick people,” she says with quiet confidence.
But while her dream burns brightly, the reality around her is filled with barriers.
A daily struggle for education.
Every morning, long before the sun rises, Haimat is up at 5am. Her first task: fetching water for her family. After this daily chore, she sets out on a 3-kilometre walk to school. By the time she arrives at 7:50am, she’s already tired—but still determined to learn.
Inside her classroom, the challenges grow. Over 100 children are packed tightly into one room. Haimat shares a desk with four other students, making it difficult to focus for long periods.
“Since we sit so tightly together, it hurts my body after a while. I have to stand up every now and then to concentrate,” she explains.
Some children don’t even have a classroom or a desk. They sit outside on the ground, under trees, exposed to the scorching sun, dust, or pouring rain. When the weather changes, learning stops.
“Most of our students take their classes under trees in the school grounds. When it rains, everyone runs to take shelter,” says the school principal.
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Many children in Haimat’s school have to learn outside under trees, exposed to the elements – sun, rain, dirt, dust – and constant interruptions.
Imagine trying to learn like this.
Can you imagine trying to concentrate in these conditions? No desk, no book of your own, no classroom. Just dust, heat, or rainfall. Can you picture a teacher—tasked with educating 100 students at once—trying to hold the attention of every child?
Even the most highly trained teachers in New Zealand would struggle in such an environment.
Yet this is Haimat’s reality.
Hope under pressure.
Haimat’s school warmly welcomes both Ugandan children as well as South Sudanese refugee children who’ve fled across the border searching for safety. But it’s adding pressure to already limited school resources.
The urgent need for more classrooms, teacher training and educational materials is making it such a struggle to learn that many girls and boys end up dropping out of school.
Without an education, it’s even harder for children to break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves.
But you are helping to change that.
Kind supporters like you are making a real, tangible difference in the lives of children like Haimat.
Because of your generosity, students in Lori are receiving life-changing support.
You’re helping to train teachers in new ways to teach reading. You’re equipping local communities to start reading clubs, so children can get the extra help they need outside the classroom.
And your impact doesn’t stop there.
You’re helping farmers—like Haimat’s parents—learn new ways to grow crops, protect the land, and increase their harvests. More food on the table. More income for families. More opportunities for children to stay in school.
A brighter future within reach.
With your continued support, girls like Haimat can dare to dream—and reach for those dreams.
She will no longer be just one of 100 in a crowded classroom. She will be the nurse she longs to become. She will treat the sick. And she will help her community live a healthy, happy life.
Thank you for standing with the children of Lori. For helping them succeed in school, break free from poverty—and build a brighter future, for good.
“I want to see people in my community living a healthy and happy life. As a nurse, I will treat all the sick people,” she says with quiet confidence.
But while her dream burns brightly, the reality around her is filled with barriers.
A daily struggle for education.
Every morning, long before the sun rises, Haimat is up at 5am. Her first task: fetching water for her family. After this daily chore, she sets out on a 3-kilometre walk to school. By the time she arrives at 7:50am, she’s already tired—but still determined to learn.
Inside her classroom, the challenges grow. Over 100 children are packed tightly into one room. Haimat shares a desk with four other students, making it difficult to focus for long periods.
“Since we sit so tightly together, it hurts my body after a while. I have to stand up every now and then to concentrate,” she explains.
Some children don’t even have a classroom or a desk. They sit outside on the ground, under trees, exposed to the scorching sun, dust, or pouring rain. When the weather changes, learning stops.
“Most of our students take their classes under trees in the school grounds. When it rains, everyone runs to take shelter,” says the school principal.
Many children in Haimat’s school have to learn outside under trees, exposed to the elements – sun, rain, dirt, dust – and constant interruptions.Imagine trying to learn like this.
Can you imagine trying to concentrate in these conditions? No desk, no book of your own, no classroom. Just dust, heat, or rainfall. Can you picture a teacher—tasked with educating 100 students at once—trying to hold the attention of every child?
Even the most highly trained teachers in New Zealand would struggle in such an environment.
Yet this is Haimat’s reality.
Hope under pressure.
Haimat’s school warmly welcomes both Ugandan children as well as South Sudanese refugee children who’ve fled across the border searching for safety. But it’s adding pressure to already limited school resources.
The urgent need for more classrooms, teacher training and educational materials is making it such a struggle to learn that many girls and boys end up dropping out of school.
Without an education, it’s even harder for children to break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves.
But you are helping to change that.
Kind supporters like you are making a real, tangible difference in the lives of children like Haimat.
Because of your generosity, students in Lori are receiving life-changing support.
You’re helping to train teachers in new ways to teach reading. You’re equipping local communities to start reading clubs, so children can get the extra help they need outside the classroom.
And your impact doesn’t stop there.
You’re helping farmers—like Haimat’s parents—learn new ways to grow crops, protect the land, and increase their harvests. More food on the table. More income for families. More opportunities for children to stay in school.
A brighter future within reach.
With your continued support, girls like Haimat can dare to dream—and reach for those dreams.
She will no longer be just one of 100 in a crowded classroom. She will be the nurse she longs to become. She will treat the sick. And she will help her community live a healthy, happy life.
Thank you for standing with the children of Lori. For helping them succeed in school, break free from poverty—and build a brighter future, for good.