This is a child-centered support project for children that are physically handicapped with special needs in dire need for basic needs, inclusive education, medical treatment, and physiotherapy support. Our communities have huge numbers of vulnerable handicapped children hidden in the slums of Kampala with different social, economic and health issues. In partnership with StepUp Fund and Habitation for Empowerment Network, we aim at establishing a Special Children’s Learning Center that creates practical learning materials to support special needs children and physiotherapy services towards the disabled children. We have identified and supporting 54 children from the slums of Kampala, Wakiso, Mayuge, Jinja, Mbale and Masaka districts that are handicapped and those with special needs. Our goal is to reduce the stigma around special needs children to provide inclusive education to thrive.

UNICEF (2014) estimates about 16% of Ugandan children are disabled and only 5% of the children are able to access inclusive school and 10% in special needs school. About 205,000 pupils with special needs out of the 8,374,000 total enrollment in 2010 were registered in primary schools (UBOS: 2012). Children with special needs are the most marginalized and their concerns are often ignored. They face pervasive barriers that limit their participation in education and physical activity. While there have been recent efforts to improve inclusion of children with disabilities in Uganda, exclusion is still persistent with high fees of care and support, educating and social inclusion amongst these children.

Our Stories

Shifah Nalwadda

“In 2004, Nalwadda’s family had a terrible accident as they were travelling to their village. During the accident, the taxi overturned and the family got seriously injured and the four months-old Nalwadda flew out of the behind window and she got injured terribly. She began folding, some parts of the body stopped growing from then up to now. It sent both of the parents into coma for 6 months.  

Now Shifah Nalwadda now 16 years-old, can’t move on her own as Habitation for Empowerment Network provided her with a wheel chair, she can’t speak as well but understands somethings. She seeks daily basic needs like pampers, nutritious foods most especially milk, extra care and love, feeding bottles and physiotherapy, training of the brain to bring her to understanding of things, medical treatment, transport to the medical centers, among others.

We spend $200 per month towards Nalwadda’s care and support. You can be our Hero in making Nalwadda’s life worth living. We hope you’ll help us out by making a generous gift as you can. Even $5, $10, $20, $50 or $100 can change her life and make her smile. Though a gift of $50 per week makes wonders. To make this happen, Just Click here – DONATE

Rautha Wanyana

At 5 years-old, Rautha started feeling pain in the right arm which grew into serious aches. She then got fever thereafter she got a conversion (the manifestation of a mental disturbance as a physical disorder or disease). Everything changed and she never got to standup again. We went to different hospitals where we were requested to do different scans to discover the problem. We did CT scan and RMI. We are challenged with money to go back to hospital for more checkups and treatment.

Rautha feels a shock all the time and with this she can’t walk, doesn’t sit properly, and sleeping is a problem. She only allows to be carried on another person’s back. Her single mother does causal jobs to care for her. The mother seeks a wheel chair, basic needs most especially pampers (4-5 pieces per day), nutritious fruits and foods, as well as physiotherapy (Speech Therapy).

Wanyana’s monthly budget goes up to $220 including medical bills, basic care and food, etc. Support her treatment so that she gains back her memory and ability to sit, walk and run. This journey starts with you donating $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 just know it will help. Let’s make this happen, To make this happen, Just Click here – DONATE

Imran Salembeya is a 5 year-old boy from Kibuli, Kampala. He was born prematurely and they took him to a special care unit for 9 days. He failed to breast feed and was being bottle fed then he became better. After 3 months, he couldn’t feed properly as he vomited everything he ate. We improvised with an inflex to help him feed well and this worked. Then after 7 months, he failed to sit as we tried many times. The specialists said he has a mental problem. Today, Imran can crawl and tries to stand while leaning on the walls.

Imran’s care is expensive that he seeks a lot of extra care, he only eats soft foods which are rare, he has difficulty in sleeping and rarely sleeps at night. He got burnt while he crawled towards the hot water kettle. He needs physiotherapy early enough to enable him to sit and walk as he grows. His right-hand side is very weak and it needs support.

Imran uses $210 per month for his home care and support. We have identified the foods rich in proteins he needs, so we are kindly seeking support from you to buy the food among other things. If you give $10 that adds up daily but $50 takes us weekly. To make this happen, Just Click here – DONATE

5 Years-old Masereka Enock, is the 5^th born in the family. He’s defection started at 5 months but we realized its seriousness at 9 months. We took him to Mulago hospital but we were told he has a disability but it will go slowly as he grows. We were then directed to Kisubi hospital for further treatment. After 3 years, they didn’t see anything threatening to his life. Then at 5 years, we realized that he doesn’t feel anything. We reached out to different specialists and we were told the same thing. 

He destroys everything, hits himself on the walls, his anger is high, he touches hot things and recently burnt himself. His sense of feeling is minimal so he needs extra attention and boosting his mental ability. He needs a school to train him to boost his memory.

Enock seeks $195 per month for his care and support. We are planning to get him to school to start treatment and boosting his memory. Let’s think this one together with you because $10, $20, $50, $100 or more can help. To make this happen, Just Click here – DONATE

Ronald a son to Sarah (16 years) born with complications relating to being a hermaphrodite (two sex organs). We got concerned with Ronald’s situation in which he has been taken to community clinics of Mayuge district critically ill as we try to identify the real complication. The baby’s situation has turned out to be complex that we have been referred to the National Hospital (Mulago) for further checkups.

With your support and help, we are hoping to proceed to Mulago hospital for further checkup, diagnosis and treatment so that Ronald gets back his normal life.

Many adolescent girls in Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown (From April – October 2021) got pregnant and they are bound to give birth to babies with complications. Adolescent mothers like Sarah are stigmatized and discriminated within their communities to a level of abandoning their babies.

If Ronald could speak, he would tell you that “Every little bit of support you can will help $5, $10, $20, $50 it doesn’t matter just know it will help. Spread and share this link and donate to Save Ronald. Every Dollar Counts. Become our weekly and monthly donor. To make this happen, Just Click here – DONATE

Our future Goal:

We are looking forward to acquiring a children’s special center/school for these adorable Hidden Treasures to provide care and support, inclusive education, medical treatment and physiotherapy services for their wellbeing to live normal lives. We seek your partnership and financial support amounting to $49,896 to create physical training and educational materials, acquire a special center with all materials and resources to care and support these physically handicapped children. Become our weekly and monthly donor. To make this happen, Just Click here – DONATE

Please share within your networks, friends, family and well-wishers. For more Information, contact us +256704224948 and haven@hafug.org