Despite the challenges facing the community in Oljoro, meeting their sponsored child, Faraja, was a standout moment of the trip. “We arrived in a remote, arid area with a few neat mud huts,” Fionnuala shared. “Faraja’s mum and her neighbours came to welcome us. She’s a tall, graceful Maasai woman, a widow raising her children on a small plot of land. Her gratitude was overwhelming—her eyes welled up when she spoke.”
Faraja, just seven years old, was shy but clearly delighted by the gifts they brought. “The soccer jersey with his name on the back got a brilliant reaction,” John said. “But it was the soccer ball that really hit the spot. Their joy was unforgettable.” Fionnuala added, “We left feeling delighted and privileged that we were able to make a positive difference in the lives of such a gorgeous family.”
The couple saw firsthand how World Vision’s child sponsorship programme is designed to create real, sustainable, and long-term change within communities. “We saw how they engage with the poorest communities—collaborating with village leaders, remaining child-focused, making no distinction based on religion, supporting basic needs like clean water, prioritising education and equal opportunities for girls, and encouraging local enterprise,” John said.