Husna

For CCF, the goal is self-sufficiency. Sometimes this means that the financial circumstances of a child's family will improve to the point that sponsorship is no longer necessary. The goal is the same for the projects that support the children. Generally, a transitional phase of a few years will precede the disaffiliation of a project. The project continues to support the community in whatever ways are most appropriate for that particular situation.

Husna lives in the city of Bangalore, in south India. She was born in December 1991, and lives with her mother, father, sister and brother in a very small, single-room home. Husna's eldest sister is married and lives nearby. Her mother stays home to care for the children and the home, and her father is an auto-rickshaw driver. Two or three maternal uncles and their families, as well as a paternal grandmother live nearby. Husna's family is Muslim.

I met Husna during my Nov. 1998 trip to India. As Asma was going to no longer need sponsorship, I needed to be assigned a new child. I wanted to sponsor a child from the same project, so the Project Director helped me to choose a child. It was quite a strange experience to actually choose my next sponsored child, but it turned out to be great. The biggest factor that caused me to sponsor Husna was that the family clearly valued education and needed additional assistance to pay for school fees for Husna's older sisters.

Husna has quite possibly the world's most adorable giggle. She's not terribly shy, is quite clever, and is obviously adored by her family. All of the children in this family study in an "English Medium" school, which means that most of the lessons are taught in English. This is generally viewed in this community as a more difficult and better education.

Husna's oldest sister Salma was married on September 30, 2001. She lives nearby and is able to visit the family once a week. I was a bit disappointed in the timing of the marriage, as she had not quite completed her education. However, in May 2002 I learned that not only had Salma continued going to school, but she successfully completed her bachelor's degree in April. Frankly, I nearly wept with joy. And, to add more good news, Salma gave birth to her first child, a little boy, in August 2002. (Maybe that makes me a great-aunt now??)

Rafia is Husna's second oldest sibling. When I met the family, she was not in school because the parents could only afford higher education fees for one of their children. After ensuring that she had all the necessary pre-requisites, Rafia began higher education in June 2000. In the meantime, she joined her mother in taking tailoring classes.

Moin, Husna's brother, began pre-university college (PUC) in June 2002. He is following in the footsteps of his elder sisters and making education a priority. Like most boys in India, Moin very much enjoys Cricket. He also seems to clearly adore his younger sister, and seems to be a wonderful older brother. (In fact, he reminds me a bit of my own brother.)

It was delightful to meet my new sponsored child before beginning sponsorship. A new sponsored child always gains an immediate place in a sponsor's heart, but what a joy to have met the child and her family!