Leave a Legacy

“Clasping my hands, she looked into my eyes and thanked me, my parents and GOAL”

Eveline and Dermot Dolan from Longford left a legacy to GOAL which changed the lives of a whole community. Here their son Tiernan tells how their gift made dreams a reality as families were built new homes, ones with a clean-water supply, toilet, kitchen, and fuel-saving stove.

“I had the incredible privilege of visiting Uganda and meeting the families who were re-homed thanks to GOAL. To say that this GOAL project made a difference is an understatement.

I met with a 70-year-old Grandmother who was caring for her 5 grandchildren; her own daughter had tragically died. Her life had been turned around by her new home. Her eyes literally lit up when she talked about having a dry house, a clean floor and a healthy future for her grandchildren. When speaking to other families who too had new homes, they became instantly animated when talking about the difference their new homes made, waving their arms and smiling massive happy smiles when trying to describe how thrilled they now were!”

One meeting that really stands out is when I met with a woman who was sat outside her new home. My late parents Dermot and Eveline Dolan would have been so proud of this energetic woman who never gave up hope but was so close on a few occasions. Clasping my hands, she looked into my eyes and thanked me, my parents and GOAL: “In our last home, we used to go to sleep not knowing whether the house would still be there when we woke”.  As I left her house, I felt happy and humbled all at the same time.”

We understand how important it is to look after your loved ones in your will, but you may also choose to leave a gift that can change the lives of other families and their generations to come. Whether it be a modest or large gift; it has the power to change thousands of lives and with that thousands of good news stories like these can be retold and thousands of ‘massive happy smiles’ smiled.