Eugene's story

Eugene lives in a poor rural area in South Africa. He and his seven siblings were orphaned when he was only 8 years old. When he came to our attention, he was sharing a shack with his disabled older brother. Eugene expressed a desire to help other children— and he showed a huge talent for leadership and organisation. Selected for our four-year peer education programme aged 15, Eugene is now a qualified facilitator training other peer educators. He led a youth team building fifteen houses for others while he was still living in his small shack. ‘The amazing thing about Eugene,’ says his mentor, ‘is that he does not focus on being an orphan and his own needs but has a real heart for his community and is one of the most incredible leaders amongst his peers.’