Makamissa lives with her mother and father in a village in Burkina Faso, West Africa. She is the fourth of five children of her mother and father. Her father has a second wife as is customary in this culture. Her father is unable to work and so the burden of providing for the family falls on Makamissa’s mother.

The focus of each day is survival. Most families are subsistence farmers growing corn, rice and sometimes peanuts. They rely on the success of the harvest to feed their families each year. Droughts are common and families often do not have enough to eat. 

 Village life is simple. There is no running water or electricity.  Homes are constructed of mud bricks with tin roofs.  Cooking is done over an open fire. Malaria, typhoid and meningitis are common illnesses in this part of the world.

Makamissa was born in 2008.  This year (2023 - 2024) she is in the 7th grade.  Makamissa had a late start to school because when she was eight years old, she showed up for school the first day and was sent away because her family had not paid her school fees. 

Having a sponsor would allow Makamissa to go to school. Sponsorship pays for tuition and school supplies. It covers basic medical care. Twice yearly donations of rice and practical items are donated to the family. Best of all, sponsorship offers hope.