Fatawu Alhassan is in preschool where his interests include drawing and counting numbers. He hopes to become a teacher when he grows up. He enjoys moulding objects out of clay, and playing on the 'see-saw' with his friends. At home he helps to run simple errands. He is in average health.

He lives with his parent, brother, 2 sisters and grandmother. This Moslem family belongs to the Dagomba tribe. Fatawu's parents would like him to continue his schooling and gain the skills he needs for a better furture. Both parents are farmers, and his mother works as a petty trader to supplement their meagre income. They grow produce mainly for the family's consumption, and sell or trade any surplus. Often, their crop yields are very poor due to lack of tools, harsh weather and poor soil conditions. As a result, their meagre and unstable income is far from adequate to provide the daily basic necessities for the family, let alone the educational needs of the child.

Fatawu's family with goats purchased by Knox (2006).