At least more than 35 households for older adults, and over 60 orphans and vulnerable children in three sub-counties of Mitima, Kawanda, and Mabindo in Sembabule district on Thursday received a donation of food and other basic items.

The donation was in partnership with Giving Hands -Germany, a development corporation and charity, that support the vulnerable and disabled people in Uganda, and the Way To Paradise Miracle Center (W2PMC)-Sembabule.

It contained rice, sugar, soap and bread and prioritised households of the elderly women and men.  The distribution was done within Kyebando, Kengo and Lwensu villages respectively.

 The organisation usually focuses on access to clean and safe water, education and housing for the deprived in communities.

Some of the children who received the donation

According to Bishop Jackson Murungi (W2PMC), they received concerns from different local leaders about the need to support the aging adults most of whom were staying alone while others could hardly afford a meal for themselves and their orphaned dependents.

Murungi noted that several older people do not have the energy to dig or do some work that requires energy which makes it hard for them to get out of chronic poverty.

“We identified the elderly, children and the people leaving with disabilities (PWDs) who do not have help at all. That’s why we had to partner with Giving Hands-Germany do something for them,” he said.

A delegation of Giving Hands-Germany and the W2PMC staff

Although a person is meant to have three meals a day, Murungi explained, several elderly men and women and their dependents usually spend some days without food.

According to Dr. Sorin Muresan, the CEO-Giving Hands-Germany, they had to come in to save the starved ageing adults in the three communities as well as the disadvantaged children.

He explained that their corporation has various projects focusing on water, education, and health.

“The major challenges we saw during our visit were access to clean and safe water, child care, health. We commit to keep supporting the needy and to extend services such as water, health and education,” he said

 The team also visited Matilda Basemeriirwe, 57, whose living conditions were appalling.

She shares her single roomed-house with her two grandchildren both below six years. She said that poor housing structure, access to clean water, food, and basic needs are her biggest challenge.

Matilda Basemeriirwe with her grand children who were promised a new house

Basemeriirwe added that she sometimes goes on an empty stomach if at all the good Samaritans do not support her and her grandchildren.

Muresan directed Murungi and the local leaders to consider her plight and plan for a  better house for her and her grandchildren.

According to Kibudiya Kamya, the Mabindo Sub-county Speaker, there are more than 100 elderly men and women who share the same plight with Basemeriirwe.

He told the new vision that supporting the needy people in communities enables them to expand their lifespan which is why they applaud the food relief that was donated to the disadvantaged people.