Shafil is 14 years old and would love to become a pilot someday. He enjoys playing football (soccer) every chance he gets.
 
Shafil's parents died when he was very young. His care was left up to his brother, Shafik, who is only 3 years his senior. They have been living on their own ever since.
 
Shafil's brother has been working to pay for their school fees and what little food he could find. However, earlier this year, the increase in school fees and the amount of time required to be in school didn't allow Shafik to earn enough money to support the two. Both were no longer allowed to attend school in their village.
 
A construction worker who met the boys while working in the area brought them to meet the Bishop of the Lutheran Church of Uganda, who subsequently asked Connect to Uganda if they would admit the boys into their Need-Based Scholarship program. C2U agreed that there were no more deserving candidates than Shafil and his brother.
 
We are hoping to find a sponsor very soon so that he can attend school and be admitted to the boarding section at Bubago Lutheran Primary School where he will have a bed and meals every day!
 
Shafik took on the role of caregiver for his brother at a very young age. He has been working his entire life (making bricks, helping construct kilns and carry heavy loads for construction workers). Every shilling he earned was useed to pay school fees.  
 
Fees for Primary 5 increased and Shafik is no longer able to work enough to pay the fees. His dream of graduating from Primary 7 and moving on to secondary school or auto mechanics school have been put on hold.
 
Connect to Uganda admitted both Shafik and his brother, Shafil, to the NBS program. When sponsors are found, both boys will be placed in the boarding section at Bubago Lutheran Primary School where they will be fed and have a place to sleep every night.  A local construction worker, who first introduced the boys to the Lutheran Church of Uganda has agreed to allow the boys to stay with him during breaks from school.
 
Shafik has been described as being "a great boy with no habit of theft, who always strives to earn money honestly to pay his own school fees." For this and many other reasons, we hope to give him the very best opportunity to succeed through the NBS program!