When teachers came looking for Ronald Jeero (known to everyone as Jeero), they often found his seat empty. Few things mattered to him more than learning, but each time school fees went unpaid he was sent home. "I really loved school," Jeero says. "Sometimes I would hide under the desks or ask my friends to hide me because I didn’t want to miss class."
Growing up in a community in Kampala, Uganda, where many families struggled to afford the basics, Jeero knew hardship. Rain leaked through the roof of the unfinished house where his family lived, sometimes forcing them out of bed during storms to sweep water off the floor. Most days, their one meal consisted of maize porridge and beans, and meat was a rare luxury. Footballs and toys were fashioned by hand from whatever materials he could find, and endless games were invented with neighbourhood friends. But behind their childhood laughter was a reality his mother faced every day: providing for her family often felt impossible.
For Jeero, school represented possibility. He dreamed of a future beyond the circumstances he saw around him. But what Jeero remembers most clearly is not what his family lacked, but the faith that filled their home.
His mother was a committed Christian who devoted her life to ministry. Jeero remembers her travelling to villages and sharing her faith wherever she could. Despite the challenges they faced, she never stopped believing.
That faith shaped him. Even as a young boy, he carried big dreams. Watching his mother struggle only strengthened his determination. He often told her that one day he would build her a house and buy her a car.
Jeero says faith shaped his life, and supported him when tragedy struck. (Photo: Compassion)
A door opens
Keeping Jeero in school was a constant struggle. School fees were beyond his mother’s reach, so he was regularly sent home from class. Yet she never stopped searching for a way forward, and she never stopped praying.
One day, while at the market, she heard about a local church-based child development programme. She rushed home and took Jeero to a nearby project, only to discover registrations had already closed. Rather than accepting defeat, they walked to another church where enrolments were still open. By the time they arrived it was getting late, but staff agreed to complete the paperwork and told them to go home and wait.
Then they prayed. Jeero remembers his mother holding onto hope even when she could not see a way forward. "We kept on praying for a month," he says. Then the phone call came.
"It was a Monday. They called with the good news that I had a sponsor in the project. I was the most happy person that day."
More than an education
Being sponsored meant Jeero could remain in school, but what he found through the programme reached far beyond education. "It was the light at the end of the tunnel," he remembers. "It changed everything about me." The centre became a place where he was encouraged, challenged and given opportunities to grow.
There were games and friendships, mentors and opportunities to lead. Through Bible studies and mentoring relationships, his confidence began to grow. The local church became a place where he felt known and valued. Most significantly, Jeero’s faith began to grow. "I got to know more about God," he says. "I learnt how to pray. It gave me hope and faith. It was the turning point of my journey with God. The local church became part of my family."
When support mattered most
That support became even more important when tragedy struck. When Jeero was 13, his mother was murdered, leaving him to navigate one of the most difficult seasons of his life.
The people around him continued to walk alongside him. Church leaders encouraged him. Compassion project staff helped care for his practical needs. His sponsors Jonathan and Rebecca continued writing letters and cheering him on from the other side of the world.
That turning point would shape the course of his life. Over time, Jeero realised his childhood dreams were changing. The more he experienced the encouragement of mentors, church leaders and people who believed in him, the more he wanted to offer that same hope to others.
A bigger calling
Jeero completed a degree in Child Development and Children’s Ministry, and a Master’s in Public Administration. "For 15 years now I’ve been in front of vulnerable children and young people, connecting them with different activities that impact their lives, and making sure they get to know God," he says.
Two years ago, he accepted a role in New Zealand, settling here ahead of his family. He now works with children with intellectual disabilities in Hawke’s Bay.
The boy who dreamed of changing his mother’s life discovered a bigger calling along the way. Today, Jeero spends his days helping children grow in confidence, develop their potential and know they are valued. And now, that’s exactly what he has become.
Jeero and Nora celebrate their wedding day in Uganda. Jeero’s story is one of hope, perseverance and new beginnings. (Photo: Compassion)
Waiting for letters
Letters from his sponsors Jonathan and Rebecca were really important to Jeero. Years after Jeero left the Child Sponsorship Programme, he found Jonathan and Rebecca on Facebook. It was a long-held answer to prayer when they were able to attend his wedding in Uganda.
Jonathan and Rebecca travelled to Uganda to be part of Jeero and Nora’s wedding. (Photo: Compassion)
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