David is top of his class at school

David is eleven years old. When he was seven his biological mother died giving birth to a new sibling for David. He had lost his father years before when he was still a toddler. He was placed with his ageing maternal grandmother who found it very difficult to care of the little boy. David was often seen in the neighborhood, malnourished and not properly dressed when going to school. The department of social development in Jos brought David to the attention of the team at the SOS Children’s Village in Jos. They immediately began proceedings to have the promising boy join an SOS family.

Today, David is well-focused, full of life and has become a role model to other children.

“David is very stable in character with a loving personality,” said his SOS mom, Victoria.

David has just graduated from basic five, similar to a junior in primary school, and has distinguished himself academically by coming out tops in his class at the SOS Children's Villages Primary School in Jos. He is an Aflatoun Club member who understands his rights and obligations as a child. On the prize-giving day, he won the top prizes in mathematics, computer science, and home economics, and was first overall in class. In one of the centralized examinations (National Mathematical Center), he was named the best pupil in Jos South and the second-best in the whole of Plateau State.

Interview with David:

What was your life like before you attended school at SOS?

My name is David. I am a native of Zawan in Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria. I am 11 years old. My father died as a result of illness when I was a toddler; I did not know my father, and my mother died during childbirth when I was five years old. After the death of my mother, I was taken under my aged grandmother’s care before the information about me was taken to SOS Children’s Village. But before the intervention of SOS Children’s Villages, I was enrolled into primary 3 in 2011 at Chung-she primary school, Zawan, by my maternal uncle when I was abandoned by my father’s people.

My experience at Chug-she Primary School, Zawan, was nothing to write home about, and the teachers were not as qualified as those at SOS Children's Villages Schools. We did not have teachers in all the subjects. The English we used to communicate with was too local. There was neither a computer nor a teacher to teach computers. The classrooms were not enough to contain all the pupils.

I came to SOS Children’s Villages in Jos in December 2011. I was enrolled in primary school in 2012. I was supposed to be in primary 3, but after the exams, because of my poor performance, I was told to start from primary 2. I could not speak English fluently at that time. I noticed that there were so many computers and teachers in different subjects. My life was being really transformed. I was promoted from primary 2 to 3, and then from 3 to 4.  In primary 4, I was the school time-keeper. While in primary 5, I was elected as an assistant. I emerged as the best in mathematics during the 2014/2015 Speech and Prize-Giving Day. Now I am in love with mathematics and basic science, and I have basic computer skills.

What did you use to wish for before you came to the SOS school?

I didn’t have any dreams until I came to the SOS Children's Villages School, where I was taught about having good dreams and future ambitions.

What is your favourite part of school?

My favourite part about school is the high standard and quality education it offers to children.

What’s your favourite subject?

My favourite subject is mathematics. I also like basic science and computers.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

My biggest dream in life is to become an astronaut so I can train others to become astronauts.