Shafic’s complete story…
This one is the inspiring story of 14-year-old Shafic. Shafic was raised in the slums of Uganda by his mother, a single parent. Unfortunately, Shafic’s young life was riddled with struggles and darkness. Like many women who live in the slums of Uganda, Shafic’s mother had been working as a prostitute for many years.
For Shafic, this lifestyle was normalized and he often found himself in very inappropriate situations witnessing incidents that a child should not be witnessing. Not only that but he was also surrounded by other prostitutes and their children who had all acquired similar lifestyles. Unfortunately, despite his mother selling her body for a living, she still didn’t make enough money to be able to offer Shafic a life where he could get an education or have his basic needs met. They continued to live in poverty and in unsanitary conditions where they had to rely on one or two staple foods to attempt to nourish their bodies and jump over streams of sewage to get to the bar where Shafic’s mother used to work. As soon as Shafic could walk and talk, his mother started using him for her own business ventures. This cute and innocent boy was made to work in the bar where his mother received her customers. Shafic was instructed to talk to customers and get them to sign up for his mother’s ‘services’.
Even as a child, he knew deep inside that what he was doing was not right and he often wanted to get away from this lifestyle but didn’t know anything else. All he had seen and been a part of was the life in Ugandan brothels, bars, and nightclubs. What is worse, his mother didn’t care that Shafic despised this kind of life. Unfortunately, Shafic also didn’t have any other caregivers. He was a paternal orphan as his father had died of HIV/AIDS so his mother was the only person that was in a position to take care of him. There was nowhere else to go and no one else to run to. Shafic was a child filled with dreams and hopes. He wanted to go to school, learn and thrive, not spend his days in bars and nightclubs. However, as is the case with many other children in Uganda, his life and circumstances threw him a curveball.
Over time, things started getting even worse for Shafic. He went from helping his mother get customers to now being the center of attention of patrons that visited the bar and nightclubs; as well as other prostitutes who used to work there. Some prostitutes used to call him their “sweet boy”. This left him susceptible to getting HIV/AIDS just like his deceased father. His mother, unfortunately, didn’t prioritize Shafic’s health or well-being; instead, she focused on how she could utilize Shafic to earn more money. If that meant that Shafic had to serve customers to please them, she was fine with that. Shafic soon found himself in a situation with no adult protecting him from attacks or sexual advances. Shafic’s life changed when one day his path crossed with the Amigos Internacionales orphanage mother Shaminah – the mother of our orphanage in Uganda! That particular day Shafic was in desperate need of some help and Shaminah seemed to be the only person around that he felt he could count on. Once Shafic started telling Shaminah his story of exploitation and ill-treatment, Shaminah knew that she had to do everything in her power to get this young boy out of bars and nightclubs. However, there was a huge obstacle. Shafic’s strong-willed mother didn’t want to lose control over her son, or in more appropriate words she didn’t want her money-making investment to slip out of her hands. Once Shafic’s mother realized Shaminah’s intention, she started threatening our orphanage mother and decided to make life a living hell for her, as well as for Shafic. She wanted total power over her son at any expense. After a lot of patience, hard work, and tenacity, and with the help of the police and God’s grace, we were able to rescue Shafic and place him in our safe orphanage in Jinja where he will be away from the type of exploitation he had to endure throughout his life.
Shafic is now in our safe hands. We take very good care of him and give him all the support that he needs. Most importantly, we get to make sure that he always enjoys his childhood and is given a chance to pursue an education like kids that are raised in healthy and functioning families. Our belief at Amigos Internacionales is that the conditions in which a child was born should not have a bearing on the opportunities that are presented to them. Just because a child was born in a dysfunctional family doesn’t mean that their right to education and a healthy childhood should be stripped away from them. Any child regardless of their conditions deserves to be raised in an environment where they feel safe, loved, and cared for. We are proud to let you know that Shafic is currently doing fantastic. He is attending school and is a great, hardworking student. His grades are very good and he aspires to become a businessman and own his own company when he grows up. He is also happy to be a part of a very supportive community. After coming to our orphanage, he was able to build close relations with other children who also come from similar backgrounds. At one point in his life, he felt all alone but now he has so many blood sisters and brothers. Shafic’s favorite dishes are rice, chicken, chips and yogurt. During his spare time, he likes to play football, dance, swim, and sing. When he grows older and becomes a successful businessman, Shafic dreams of paying it forward and elevating other kids so they can receive the same opportunities he has received. To God Be the Glory. Currently, Shafic’s biggest wish is to get an education sponsor so he can continue his education and pursue his dreams. He prays every day for a kind, loving person to become his sponsor. That person could be you… Our Education Sponsors program aims to improve the quality of basic education by increasing equitable access, quality, and sustainability of primary education that is inclusive and innovative. Our sponsors support children who have been denied the opportunity to go to school because of hardships and offer them a second chance to live successful lives. With a modest or generous donation, you can start contributing to the education of a child like Shafic. Shafic’s story is only one of the hundreds of stories of children in our orphanage home whose lives we have transformed…
Our orphanage in Uganda was launched a few years ago to save local children from sexual exploitation and give them a safe home to live in. With the financial commitment of our donors, we were able to purchase two acres of land where we built our children’s home. Thanks to our state-of-the-art orphanage in Uganda, we now provide food and shelter for over 29 orphaned children, some abandoned by their parents, and most pulled from the grip of sexual exploitation. Our orphanage is one of the best orphanages in the country that offers children a safe home as well as food, water, clothing, and a good education. We even take the children out on entertainment outings each month and cover their medical needs. At this orphanage, children rescued from the horrors of sex trafficking find hope, peace, and a nurturing family environment. We are the only NGO that will rescue children from sex trafficking to place them in our own family structured homes, giving them encouragement, life skills, and a new life. Amigos Internacionales has been providing emergency services and disaster relief throughout the world for over 50 years through the help of our amazing limited partnerships, volunteers, and donors. We have served people and the Lord in over 22 countries and 8 states in the USA, providing 7,500,000 meals every year to people in need, 21,000 of which are children in thirdworld countries! Our food relief program has provided over 75 million meals to starving children and mothers around the world since 2002. We know most people wonder if their contributions to Amigos Internacionales will make any difference and we are here to let you know that it definitely will. For us, no gift is too small; we can guarantee that every single dollar you donate will make an impact on people’s lives. Additionally, in a country like Uganda, the value of a dollar is much higher than in the United States, so even a $5 or $10 contribution can go a long way and accomplish so much more than you can ever imagine. However, more important than money or donations is your love and support which will help sow the seeds of change for as long as we’re here. This is also why we are sharing these touching stories with you. If you can, please donate to us through our website at https://www.amigosii.org , and don’t forget to also sign up for our newsletter to get updates on our work and how your donations are being used to fulfill our organization’s mission. One of our main goals is to let children who have been exploited and abused realize that this life is worth living and that the world is a friendly place filled with wonderful people like yourselves who are willing to lend a helping hand to those that are less fortunate. A lot of children we met through our journey are incredibly smart and talented. They all have big dreams and once they are provided a safe and nourishing environment to realize these dreams, they suddenly feel empowered. We let them know that despite the circumstances they grew up in, they are fully equipped and capable of accomplishing anything they choose to undertake. This is why your support is so important. It not only helps us cover the costs of running our orphanage and other programs but it also demonstrates to these beautiful children that there is a community of people out there who are eager to support them and help make their dreams and hopes a reality. Thanks so much for tuning into our podcast. In future episodes, we will continue to share with you stories of other special children that we have saved from sexual exploitation and abuse. We thank you so much in advance for your donations and support, and look forward to connecting with you through our newsletter. No matter how small your contribution, we hope that you decide to give today and make a huge difference in the world and lives of these wonderful children. Until next time, stay blessed!
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