A Story from Behind the Scenes

"Bank of Uganda" in big bold letters. Some charts strewn about the Excel page. Eyes peeled to the screen, fingers clicking about the menus, lost to the world around him. We got used to seeing Rogers this way. His name is Abraham, but he told us he prefers Rogers. He is nine.

In a village where many school-going children struggle to read and many of the adults never had the chance to go to school, his abilities simply caught us by surprise. We watched in shock as he read his way through most of the books in the children's section, figuring out words he hadn't seen before. English is, after all, his second language.

He relishes the challenge of spelling. Agriculture. His face tightens, eyes narrow into concentration as he makes his way across the word. He's an ace. University students typing up their reports half jokingly ask him for help with words.

The computers are playthings in his hands. Guys a decade older than him ask him to show them the way, trying not to draw attention.

He's a fixture at the center. Coming as he pleases and leaving usually when he is "chased out" because someone thought he had spent too much time in front of a computer. Or more often is the case, he hadn't taken a bath.

An only child, Rogers' home situation is dire. Alcoholism, abuse, neglect are all part of the story. Often tending for himself, almost always dressed in a pair of blue shorts that is missing large portions at the rear, taking a bath is something he'd rather dodge. So, from the policeman to the volunteers, we keep up the pressure.

After months of watching his rear-less shorts, on a recent market day, a couple of the volunteers picked out a pair of (denim) shorts for Rogers and made a home delivery. A few days later, his father dropped a comment to one of us: "please take care of him like he is one of your own children".

He receives school uniforms and school supplies through a community project that receives help from further afield. From the headmaster of his school, to many others in the community, people are watching out for him. He's adopted the centre as a second home, and gravitates towards older smart kids who like to read. One afternoon, sitting next to Saad, he tried to lay his head on Saad's lap. Saad resisted at first, and then let him. And together they read.

Yet, the stark truth remains. There is no one who provides consistent care and attention to his wellbeing.

Enrolling him in a nearby boarding school is a suggestion that seems to be rising above all others. Shall we support him? We don't know, but we are thinking about it.

A small compilation of photos and videos of Rogers we found on the hard-drive.