Differently Able-d
The month of August marks an addition in my years and each year has been very different from the other. Some go unnoticed, others seem to have something fable going on. This year though has been very different.
My good friend turned sister whom I share with a birth month, (we are separated by days) challenged me to look at our birthday differently this year. ‘What can we do different this year, who can we bless for all the blessings we have received over time.’ she said to me. So my mind went racing, searching for those in need that we could share with what we can get. She did the same. We got many referrals, a process that dragged on for about a whole 3 weeks. Good enough we had a date selected way before hand. As the days drew near and nothing conclusive had come up we knew we had to get serious. This was going to be a drive that we were not going to do on our own. Our family and friends were to join us and support us in anyway possible, so the better we made up our minds the better for everyone.
At last we made our final pick for a home called Differently Able-d Home located in Kakiri in Wakiso district.
Differently Able-d Home is a home that looks after children who the world has given up on. Children with all kinds of disabilities. Mr Wilberforce the director had an amazing story of how this came into existence. Having visited a friend in Nakawuka in the company of his wife back in 2014 , his heart was greatly moved. This friend who was 14 years of age had a rare condition known as Autism, living with a grandmother who could barely ably take care of herself. (It is common in Africa to take the ‘society outcasts’ to live with grandparents.) Because of this, his heart was moved and he decided to help that child. When people in that area heard about it, so many brought forth children of this kind or call it children with disabilities. Some children were even so sick due to the neglect and poor care that at a point he was afraid to take them on. This prompted him and the wife to begin an organisation that looks out for children living with disabilities and sensitize communities not to neglect these fellows.
If you have ever started a business or an organisation you know how hard and challenging it is to keep it on it’s feet and the story was not any different here. The organisation was first set up in Kyengera but it did not live to see it’s first birthday because of of lack of resources. But the unwavering spirit in them did not let them give up. It was opened up the second time this time in their home area here in Kakiri in Wakiso district for better sustainability. What started with 1 child is now a fully registered organisation with about 11 children as of now and many more keep coming but they cannot have a big number because of the limited space and human resource to take care of the children although setting up a school is in plans. These children however do not spend the rest of their lives here. When they are out of danger they are integrated back into the community after preparing the families and mentoring them on how to better care for these children and accept them.
People of good will just like everyone who came out to support this good cause have seen the survival of very many of these beautiful souls who have suffered rejection for most of their time alive.So this is to say thank you to everyone who spared their time and money to reach out when a call was made, to thank the family of Differently Able-d Home who allowed us to interact with these children and be with them.
‘…….. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, “I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matthew 25;31–40
Above all Ms. Murriel Atai Aloka and I thank God for this beautiful life that He has allowed us to be a part of this whole time which has been nothing but a blessing
