‘Trocaire changed my life’ Q Radio speaks to the schoolboy on 2012 lent box

By David Hunter

Another year rolls around, and the Trocaire Box is folded together and placed on a kitchen table or window sill. Weeks pass by, and the copper and silver coins slowly jingle into place adding up to a plump little delivery when lent is over.

All the pounds, pennies, euros and cents add up across one million boxes throughout the Island of Ireland.

For most of us the exercise is over for another year.

In 2012, a nine year-old boy was pictured on the front of every one of those boxes. His name was Daniel.

LISTEN: QRadio's David Hunter speaks to Daniel Onyango and family after Trocaire support 

 IMAGE: Daniel Onyango first pictured in 2012 

This Ugandan schoolboy didn’t know that the white man who came to take his photograph in rural Barlonyo would change his life forever. Six years later, Daniel attends a boarding school around 40 minutes from his home, and is determined to become a Doctor.

Speaking to QRadio, Daniel said he wants to help others in his community who aren’t as fortunate. “I’m now at a better school and studying well, and I’m able to get everything I need for my studies. In future, if god allowed me, I would like to help my family and others, like in Trocaire.”

“I want to be a Doctor in future because from my level to now, I was not in a good environment and everything was just dirty. I want to start teaching people in my community about sanitising and looking after their health” he said. 

 IMAGE: Q Radio's David Hunter picture with Daniel's family 

Daniel’s village of Bar Keawach in Lira was heavily targeted by Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) attack’s in the late 1990’s and 2000’s. In 2004 his parents decided the threat posed by the Lord’s Resistance Army was too great. The LRA attacked the night before the move in one of the most prolific massacres ever carried out the group.

A memorial now stands in the area marking a mass grave where the Government claim 121 people were killed. Locals say the figure was closer to 300.

Daniel’s family were forced to flee the area for almost two years and finally returned in 2006. Many people in the village struggled to rebuild their homes and start working the land again, as much of it had been destroyed.

In 2010, FAPAD ( An organisation supported by Trocaire funds) began moving into the area providing farming tools, livestock and training.  

 IMAGE: QRadio's David Hunter speaks to Daniel's parent's Betty and Joel at the family home in Bar Keawach, Uganda. 

Daniel’s mother sang and danced as Trocaire staff arrived at their home with a reporter, to ask about the progress since then.

Betty Onyango, 55, said “There was no peace at all at that time. If you go the garden you didn’t work with your heart, you were thinking ‘Is someone behind me?’ if you seen anything you just started to run.”

“They came and just destroyed everything. Now, my children are at school because people are supporting us. That is why I’m happy. I don’t worry much now because my support is coming from Trocaire. They are working day and night to let my people go further.”

Daniel has six brothers and sisters, including one older sister who suffered serious head injuries in the LRA attack and requires careful attention.

 IMAGE: Daniel Onyango pictured with Trocaire's Sean Farrell during a recent visit 

An emotional Betty smiled as we asked her about the support saying: “God is working with them” she said. “To think, there are some people in Uganda that want their children to go school but they don’t have any other means. But, the support we are getting is very important to us.”

Betty told us of her hopes for the future “My hope is just to let the children go and get knowledge, and when they grow they know what to do” she said. “We may not be here but if they have knowledge they will know to stand by themselves. There are some brothers from Trocaire who came with support.  We will not forget.”

Daniel’s father, Joel Onyango, 56, didn’t speak English, but asked his son to translate a number of touching messages thanking the staff who helped him, and the people of Ireland who made it possible.

Earlier this month I met Daniel & his family in Uganda. In 2012 he appeared on the front of the @trocaire Lenten appeal box. A humble and polite young man! See his story on @qnewsdesk @goQradio https://t.co/GJQsPoD0Kt pic.twitter.com/HHUVnUTngs

— David Hunter (@davidhunter7) March 28, 2018