Message-ID: <199612270351.MAA12387@inetnif.niftyserve.or.jp> Date: Fri, 27 Dec 1996 12:50:00 +0900 From: Martin Sieg <mailto:QWA01214@NIFTYSERVE.OR.JP> Subject: More Information Re: Uganda Disabled To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Friends,You recently read the message from RICHARD MUGISHA <mailto:pwd@imul.com>, asking f or some help for disabled people in Uganda. Here is some additional informatio n about him and his organization.
Thank you to those who have already responded. One piece of advice, which I recieved from Marc Dolgin <mailto:mdolgin@MAGMACOM.COM>, mentioned an international N GO in Winnipeg called DPI, Disabled People International. Unfortunately he do es not have complete information about that group. If any of you could help Ri chard contact them, or any similar organization, in the States for example, I would again be grateful.
Here is the information Richard gave me: _____________________ FORWARDED ____________________________________________ "I am sure with God by our side and all our effort we shall achieve our object ive.
"About myself: "I was born 35 years ago in south west rural Uganda, with a physical disability. At that time babies with disabilities were killed at birth by the community because they believed disabilities were expressions of the anger of the 'spirits' for non-compliance and were contagious. But you see I was protected by the the power of God by being born and kept for three months in a missionary hospital. "I went through my school time as an 'island'. My schooling was completed with the support of the missionaries until I went to a boarding school at which I won a scholarship to study in the U.K. "My work now is with grassroots communities of families with children with disabilities in Uganda to create changes in society that will enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities(almost 18 percent of the population is affected by disabilities compared to 10 percent in other countries). Mission: Promote quality services and life opportunities for Ugandans with disabilities, so that they can live with dignity and respect, and acceptance in the community. "We need resources re. funds, equipment and appliances, medicalaid, vehicle s and ambulances, technical assistance, among others for our advocacy and education activities. My responsibility is to ensure that the organisation is effective. This is a big challenge for me without the necessary resources as our country is too poor to provide any. I have even reached a point of working without pay simply because the organisation can't afford to pay.
"God bless you at Christmas and through the New year
"Richard