Over 100 elderly persons and persons living with disabilities (PWDs) in Adilang Town Council in Agago district have received Christmas hampers from David Fagerlee Medical Centre of Gulu Archdiocese for the festive season.

The packages, included a kilo of meat, rice, cooking oil and sugar donated to show love and care to the disadvantaged people who need such kind of support this festive season.

Gulu Archdiocese Vicar General Msgr Mathew Odong said as people join the world to celebrate Christmas, there is a need for Christians to cater for those who can’t afford to buy food items and share with them.

Chief Justice Owiny Dollo Alfonse (extreme right) handing over Christmas hampers to older persons in Adilang, Agago District.

“There are so many people who need our support and this is the time we can share the little of what we have so that we all enjoy the joy of the Lord and his holy birth together,” he said yesterday.

Margaret Amito Adyang, the managing director David Fagerlee Medical Centre, said the donations were to follow the footsteps of David Fagerlee who is the founder of the health centre in Adilang and has been feeding the needy and also providing them health services free of charge.

“We need to remember the disadvantaged persons in our community, especially the elders and PWDs so that we give them love and care and this can be done by only donating what they can’t afford,” she added.

Many elderly persons abandoned

Okullu Ambrose Omara, the LC1 chairperson of Loyo-Bati Cell, Lalaal Ward Adilang town council, said young people have left their responsibility of taking care of their parents leaving them to suffer alone at home.

“In Adilang we have so many elderly persons who are taking care of themselves without enough resources because their children have left them to struggle with living alone in the villages as they stay in their marriage in towns” he added.

State Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation in the office of president and also Agago Woman Member of Parliament Beatrice Aklello Akori handing over Christmas hampers to elder persons in Agago District.

Similarly, the LC3 Adilang town council Santo Santus Ongom urges the young generations of today to always take care of their parents so that they live a decent life happily.

“These elderly persons are dying before reaching their date due to lack of proper support and others just die in their houses alone. As leaders, we shall advocate for their safety and care” he said.

Beneficiaries speak out

Whiton Ocen Lukolmoi, 83 and resident of Loyo-Bati cell, said he is living alone and that the hampers are timely.

“I’m very weak because I underwent surgery. I can’t work or dig to get what to feed on, this is a miracle that I have received a Christmas gift I will eat meat and take tea on Christmas Day because I don’t drink alcohol,” Ocen said.

Similarly, Sabina Okeny, another beneficiary, said this kind of support is needed all the time to aid the living condition of the elderly persons in their society.

“Some of us are dying early enough because we are not looked at as human beings and left unattended to by the children or relatives and yet we need their support to let us stay longer” she noted.

She thanked the Catholic Church and the management of David Fagerlee Medical Centre for supporting them with Christmas hampers.