Priyaa and Damiru Meet at Last!

Vision News      2.5 min read

 

World Vision updates our supporters on how their contributions make a difference for children in need. Reading about the impact you’re making on paper (or on your screen) is nice, but there’s nothing quite like seeing it for yourself!

 

Every year, we host visits to our international Area Programmes, where sponsors can get up close and personal with the children they’re supporting. The most common reaction we get from people after the trips? That they’re precious, eye-opening experiences they’ll remember for a lifetime!

 

From 26 Feb - 2 March 2024, 14 people joined us on one such visit to Welikanda, Sri Lanka. We’d like to zero in on one participant – Priyaa.

 

The sponsors who took part in the Welikanda, Sri Lanka visit pose with sponsored children and their family members, as well as World Vision staff. Priyaa is crouching in the front row, second from left.

 

Priyaa’s no stranger to World Vision, having joined the 30-Hour Famine in 2003 when she was 12! Today, she’s a child sponsor, and she was in Sri Lanka with us to meet her sponsored child Damiru, 16. As expected, she had a lot to say!

Priyaa with her sponsored child Damiru.

How did you feel meeting him for the first time? “I was very nervous, because he’s someone that I have been in constant contact with. It’s like you’re finally meeting your kid who’s far away in person! We were a bit emotional in the beginning, but after that we were okay.”

 

Your first impression? “He’s taller than me. I’m grateful he’s grown so well the last few years!”

 

What did you two talk about? “I wanted to know how he did in his last exam, because that was the last conversation I had with him over letter! Apparently he did very well, and he’s sitting for his O-Levels soon. He’s decided that he wants to do engineering.”

 

What did you learn about Damiru that surprised you most? “I didn’t expect him to be so quiet, because he writes a lot! He was apparently very nervous. As emotional as it was for me to finally see him, I think he felt the same. But he did warm up, and he even made a painting for me.”

 

What was the most memorable part of this meeting? “It’s so nice to know that, through child sponsorship, Damiru’s education is sorted and he now has a plan. He was telling me earlier that if it wasn’t for World Vision, he wouldn’t even know what he would be in the future. Seeing this in person made me feel like sponsoring more children. It really is a nice feeling.”

 

What are your hopes for Damiru? “I’m very sure that he’s going to be successful. Five years back, in his letters, he told me he liked math. I didn’t want to ask him [about his plan] then and put pressure on him, but it’s so nice to know that he has one now. We also know that child sponsorship helps his community and his school. So it benefits his two brothers through the other programmes they’re involved in as well. I’m very hopeful for them.”

 

We also know that child sponsorship helps his community and his school. So it benefits his two brothers through the other programmes they’re involved in as well.


 

Priyaa’s support has helped Damiru’s whole family thrive!

 

Parting thoughts? “Damiru asked me when I started getting involved with World Vision and child sponsorship. I said ‘Since I was young’. He told me that he wants to do the same thing. Can you imagine me getting to meet him again because he became a volunteer with World Vision? Or he could also have a child he wants to sponsor in the future. I’m happy for that!”

A letter and a keepsake to remember this visit by.

As Priyaa learned, there’s nothing quite like seeing your sponsored child thrive with your own eyes! Isn’t that an experience you’d love to have? You can sponsor a child from an Asian or Non-Asian country through Child Sponsorship PLUS while also making a difference for communities in Malaysia. One day, you could be telling a story just like Priyaa’s!

 

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