Deo Lubega is just 12 years old but he is the head of his household. Instead of concentrating on his studies and playing with friends, he is busy caring for his 5, 2 and 1 year old siblings.

When Deo was 4 years old his father was forced to leave his family because he had AIDS. In the small village of Kitwekyangovu villagers shun AIDS victims and exile them from their homes. Deo's father has since died. Deo's mother was pregnant and caring for a toddler when his father was forced to leave. Once the youngest was weaned, she also abandoned her children because she, too, had AIDS. She left in order to spare her children from the shunning of the village.

Deo's maternal grandmother assumed responsibility for the children and turned to begging in order to feed them. When Deo turned 6 his grandmother's health began to fail and he not only assumed the care of his three siblings, but also his grandmother.

Even in her poor health, Deo's grandmother showed him how gather and cook roots and ground nuts in order to feed the struggling family. An aunt comes by several times a year to check in on the children. She plans to take the two youngest children to live with her once the grandmother dies.

Deo was chosen by the GCCI project in December 2005 and has been able to attend school and receive food through their program ever since. His day begins at 4:00 am as he must care for his siblings and grandmother before walking the 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) to school. After school, Deo gathers firewood on the way home which he balances on his head while carrying two 3-gallon jugs of water. Although he is 12 years old, Deo weighs only 55 pounds.

Deo looks forward to moving to the GCCI project upon its completion. He will be sad when his grandmother dies, but he hates to see the crippling pain she is in from years of malnutrition and lack of calcium in her diet.

If you ask him what he wants to do, Deo will tell you that he wants to come to the United States and bring "all the Americans to Uganda to help orphans" like himself.