In his home, Shariful Sheikh helps by gardening, helping in the kitchen and running errands. He lives with his father and his mother. His father is sometimes employed as a laborer and his mother maintains the home. There are 4 children in the family.
For fun, Shariful Sheikh enjoys soccer and listening to music. He attends Bible class regularly and is in primary school where his performance is average.
Because of your sponsorship, Shariful Sheikh will have new opportunities to learn and grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. Thank you for your concern and prayers.
Shariful Sheikh lives on the plains of Suagram, home to approximately 6,500 residents. Typical houses are constructed of tin and have dirt floors. The primary ethnic group and most commonly spoken language is Bengali.
The regional diet consists of rice, fish and potatoes. Common health problems in this area include skin diseases, viral fevers, colds and hepatitis B. Most adults in Suagram work as day laborers and earn the equivalent of $50 per month. This community needs medical facilities, scholastic materials, employment opportunities and adult literacy programs.
Your sponsorship allows the staff of Suagram Child Sponsorship Program to provide Shariful Sheikh with Bible teaching, nutritious food, medical treatment, health and hygiene education, sports, special celebrations, picnics, tutoring, tuition, uniforms, shoes and school attendance support. The center staff will also provide meetings for the parents or guardians of Shariful Sheikh.
Bangladesh is a small Asian country in the shadow of India. Mostly flat, the country sits on the eastern edge of the Indian Ocean. Bangladesh consists mostly of a low-lying river delta with a largely marshy jungle coastline on the Bay of Bengal. The country usually has a mild tropical winter, a hot, humid summer and a warm, rainy monsoon from June to October.
People in this extremely poor country are often landless and forced to live on and cultivate flood-prone land. Nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in agriculture where rice is the single most important product. About 83 percent are Muslims, but Hindus constitute a 16 percent minority. Christians make up less than 1 percent of the population. Bengali is the official national language, but English is generally spoken in urban areas and used in higher education and government. Compassion works with children throughout the country.
Like India and many of its other neighbors, the area that is now Bangladesh came under British rule in the 18th century. A mounting clash between Muslims and Hindus lead to a battle that eventually created a deep chasm in Britain's empire. In 1947, British rule ended with the creation of Hindu-dominated India and Muslim-dominated East and West Pakistan. But a civil war over language and commerce between West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan) and East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) ensued from 1952 to 1971, when Pakistani forces surrendered and Bangladesh was established and became a parliamentary democracy under a constitution. Iajuddin Ahmed has been president since 2002.
Map of Bangladesh
Child's Location: East of Khulna
