Sponsorship experience transforms Limerick's farmer’s view of global poverty
Rodger Heffernan from Oola who has been involved in child sponsorship with World Vision Ireland for more than 12 years
A LIMERICK farmer who has spent over a decade sponsoring children in Uganda has said the experience has “completely” changed his perspective on life, describing the impact of even modest support as “a big difference” to families living in poverty.
Rodger Heffernan from Oola who has been involved in child sponsorship with World Vision Ireland for more than 12 years, said a television appeal first prompted him to act. But it was travelling to Uganda, Africa and meeting the child he supported that cemented his long-term commitment.
“When I went out to visit the first child, that really put it in my mind that I should stay supporting them,” he said.
Rodger first visited Uganda in 2014, where he met a girl named Linda, whom he had been sponsoring. The encounter, he said, remains one of the most significant moments of his involvement.
“That was the crown of the trip — meeting the child you sponsored and her family and her friends. That is exceptionally important,” he said.
Rodger returned again last year and met another child he now supports, Faith Linda, along with her family. While letters and photographs help maintain contact, he said nothing compares to seeing the reality on the ground.
“To meet the person is really brilliant and the family, and see the conditions and how they live and all that, ” he explained.
Rodger described communities in Uganda as warm, welcoming and resilient, despite facing significant hardship. “They’re very friendly, very positive but they're very poor,” he said, noting that conditions have improved somewhat over the past decade, though “there’s a lot of work to be done there.”
He pointed to tangible changes supported by sponsorship funding, including improved school buildings, better access to clean water, and more teachers. In some cases, he said, children who might otherwise spend their days collecting water are now able to attend school.
“It makes a big difference for education. They can go to school now instead of drawing water,” he said.
The monthly contribution of €25 can be transformative, he added, particularly in a country where a large proportion of the population is under 18. “Education is the main thing. If you sponsor a child, she’s nearly guaranteed to go to school until she's 16 or 17,” Rodger said.
Witnessing the stark contrast between life in Uganda and Ireland left a lasting impression. “We don’t know how lucky we are,” he said. “It’s completely black and white, completely different.”
Visits organised through World Vision Ireland also left a strong impression, with local communities greeting visitors with music and celebration. “They’ll be out dancing and singing and welcoming you. It’s unbelievable,” commented Rodger.
While he has not directly recruited others to sponsor children, Rodger encouraged those considering it to take the step, saying the impact is clear to see. “You really see what’s happening out there, and where the money is going and what they're doing for them.”
Rodger praised the work of World Vision Ireland, particularly in addressing challenges such as access to clean water and electricity in schools.
“World Vision Ireland are doing very good work out there... I'd like to see more people sponsor children out there.” Many of their development programmes are funded through child sponsorship.