Maria’s father was a shamba-boy (gardener) whose origin was unknown. Her parents got together when they were teenagers, and her mother dropped out of school because they couldn’t afford the fees. They had two children together, but when they were expecting a third, Maria’s father ran away from the family. Her mother doesn’t clearly know where he came from so she wasn’t able to follow him, and she was left raising her children alone. She was forced to turn to the gardening work that the father had been doing to earn some money.

Tragically, Maria’s mother died in 2018 and the children went to stay with their aunt who is also a peasant farmer. She has other children to care for as well and she can’t afford to keep them all in school.

Maria badly needs sponsorship if she is going to be able to continue her education, and she hopes to become a nurse when she grows up if she is able to finish school. Maria is a friendly girl who helps with the cooking at home. Her brothers Robert Kisakye and Lawrence Sserugo are also available for sponsorship.