Be a Hero, Sponsor a Child

by Jennifer Ostrowski, CARITAS For Children Intern

In Uganda, June 9 is National Heroes Day. Officially, the holiday commemorates Ugandans who sacrificed their lives to make a difference for others, but the holiday also provides an opportunity to consider the heroes in our own lives.

That afternoon, I spent some time walking around the Stella Maris campus, a boarding school that many girls in CARITAS child sponsorship programs attend. Along the way, I asked the students to identify heroes and explain how heroes can make a difference. The most common answer I received was "my mother," closely followed by "Jesus". "My father", "Nelson Mandela" and a few other names were also thrown into the mix.

A group of Stella Maris girls whom I spoke with about Heroes Day

Yet, when asked how their heroes make a difference, the girls were a bit slower to answer. One sixth grader thought for a moment about Nelson Mandela and finally answered quietly "because of equality". A third grader who had mentioned Jesus looked puzzled, but eventually burst out, "Because he is our savior!" A fifth grade student said of her father, "It's because he takes care of me." When asked about her mother, a sixth grader eventually concluded that "It's because she brought me into the world and cared for me when I was young." One second grade student, however, seemed to have no trouble at all answering the question, saying that her mother was a hero simply, "Because she loves me!"

As I looked over their responses, it became clear that, more often than not, a hero is not necessarily someone famous, rich, or with a long list of ground-breaking achievements. Instead, heroes are often everyday people - parents, friends, and family members - who make a difference by loving and caring for others. Sometimes a sponsor becomes the hero for a parent who cannot afford to send their child to school or for a child who does not have the love and support of a mother and father.

My observations were reinforced later in the day when Evelyline and Proscovia, two teenagers, came to the CARITAS office to register for child sponsorship programs. As they filled out the forms, I inquired about their heroes. Both answered quickly "my mother" explaining that "she brought us here today" advocating for her daughters' education after her husband died and she ran out of money for school fees.

During the ins and outs of daily life, it easy to forget that being an advocate, a caretaker, or simply a loving family member or friend is, in many cases, heroic. Hero Day in Uganda gives us a reason to remember - and to thank the many heroes in our own lives.