ELDERLY | PWDs | RELIEF FOOD

WAKISO - Over a hundred households for vulnerable persons in Bujuuko, Wakiso District including widows and unemployed have received relief food.

The package containing maize flour, rice, baking flour, cooking oil, Sugar, salt, washing soap, tea leaves were over the weekend handed over by members of Rotary Club of Buloba. 

Support was also drawn from Rotary Club of Needham in conjunction with Kyosiga Community Christian Association for Development (KACCAD), a Community Based Organization (CBO) operating in Buloba and Bujuuko.

Shafiq Lule, 26, (M) a person with special needs receiving food relief from Philip Ddungu Yeko (L) Project director Buloba Rotary Club and Nasuru Ziraba (R) member Rotary Club Buloba during the distribution of food relief to needy resident of Bujuuko. (All Photos by Ramadhan Abbey)

Rotarians including the Project Director, Philip Ddungu, Irene Namakula, Muzamiru Kiiza, Agnes Nabasumba, Nasuru Ziraba flagged the food distribution.

“The reason Rotary has extended the relief food to the vulnerable is Uganda has been on lockdown twice. But what happens when you lock down a country in which most people live from hand to mouth and are completely dependent on their daily earnings? Since Uganda went into quarantine with total lockdown, followed by a curfew, many vulnerable families go empty stomachs with no food to eat,” Dungu explained.

Ddungu added, “To ensure social distance, the relief food was distributed door to door, to avoid semblance of crowding, in observance of COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).”

Dungu disclosed that the criteria to select beneficiaries was conducted at grass root leaders by a team of Roman Catholic Priests, Local Council (LC) leaders and village heads.

Dungu said Last month, the Rotary Club of Buloba donated free solar lights, to the same 100 households predominantly used by children to read at night since access to electricity is a problem.

A 110-year-old Aliziki Namubiru, a resident of Bujuuko trading center was among the beneficiaries, she sobbed as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks while receiving the food package.

“I am so delighted to receive the package, this will help me feed the Bazukulu,” Namubiru acknowledged.

When 90-year-old, blind Maria Philomena Nalumansi of Bujuuko, received her package, she said, “I thought I can’t see the food, but I can feel it and appreciate.”

 The 83-year-old Alice Nabitaka of Muduuma village, who lost her teeth, amused the Rotarians when she inquired if they had bought her fresh meat.

“Although I lost my teeth, I need fresh meat, because the muzukulu crushes it into minced meat,” Nabitaka said.   

Dungu disclosed that the criteria to select beneficiaries was conducted at grass root leaders by a team of Roman Catholic Priests, Local Council (LC) leaders and village heads.

Mary Kyomugisa, 48, of Nalya Nansoke, Bujuuko village said she is taking care of a five-year-old child suffering from autism.

Aisha Najjuma was born with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a brain development condition that causes social, communication and behavioural challenges in both children and adults.

Kyomugisa utilised this moment to seek Mulago National Referral Hospital’s intervention.

“Funds to buy medicine, support wheelchairs are among the major challenges we face,” but I am happy there are some people who care for others like the Rotary Club of Buloba,” Kyomugisa urged.  

Kyomugisa further intimated that the reason she is nursing the child is that his late son Saddam Katende, a boda boda rider was killed by unknown thugs.