STELLA LOTTI, age 14 - Stella was born in Jajengo Juu, Arusha, Tanzania. She is the youngest of seven children born to her mother. Each of the children had a different father. Stella's father was reported to have died when she was two. When Stella's mother died in 2000, Stella moved in with an older sister. There was no money so Stella was sent to beg on the streets each day in order to "earn her keep." She was discovered begging on the street by a local group that rescues street children. When they brought her back to her sister's home they discovered that her sister's husband was a serious alcoholic and that the home was a dangerous place for Stella. She now lives in an orphanage north of Arusha where she is always ready to help with the smaller orphans and studies hard at school. She is in the school choir and is a leader in her class. She has an open heart and indomitable spirit, and one day would like to become a nurse.
LUCY JULIUS, age 8 - Lucy was born in 1996 and stayed with her parents for two years in Dar es Salaam. Her mother was beaten to death by her father in 1998 who has not been seen since. There are rumors Lucy’s father committed suicide or that he was sent to jail for life. Lucy’s aunt, who already had four children, became the sole caregiver for Lucy and Lucy's brother. Problems started when Lucy's aunt got pregnant again without a husband, which ultimately resulted in Lucy being placed in an orphanage. When Lucy first arrived, she was frightened and angry; and because she had been mistreated emotionally and physically for so many years, it was feared that she would never recover. However, today she can chatter for hours, loves to play with her doll that she received from the tooth fairy, and is dubbed the resident "busybody" of the orphanage. She is always found arbitrating every squabble the kids get into.
