Ugandans urged on being generous as Missionaries of the Poor receive donation

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Ugandans have been urged not to take their blessings for granted but to give back to those in need.

The call was made on September 23, 2025, at the courtyard of the Missionaries of the Poor in Busega, Kampala, where mattresses, cartons of food, detergents, clothes and wheelchairs were offloaded in a grand donation. The gesture was led by Ryan Ainesaasi and his friends to mark his 30th birthday.

For Brother Joaquim Rakla, head of Bethlehem Home, the moment was nothing short of providential.

“We have 106 children here, 69 of them totally disabled, crippled, blind, paralysed, living with epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, or with mental challenges,” Bro Rakla said. 

“Many were dumped at our gate, others abandoned at police stations or found in garbage places. We try to trace their families but fail. They are totally rejected by relatives, friends, even their own parents. As Missionaries of the Poor, we take them in freely, without charge.”

He emphasised that the home depends entirely on donations.

“We don’t run schools, hospitals, or businesses. We live on divine providence—on kindness, generosity, and love. That is why I am overjoyed with Ryan, his friends, and Shiloh Company. These items will help us push through one or two months. May God continue to use you as instruments of love, peace, and hope for those who are hopeless.”

Ainesaasi, best known in Kampala’s nightlife as the owner of SILO 15, admitted that many see him only as the commander of vibe, but turning 30, he said, called for something deeper.

“Whenever I reach a milestone, I try to celebrate above self,” he reflected. “In my journey, I have been supported, guided, forgiven, and favoured in ways I can’t explain. If the world has given me the opportunity to be chosen, I must also choose those who were never given that chance—children who didn’t choose to be abandoned or disabled.”

His journey into charity started with small acts shared among friends and family. Last year, he organised his first large-scale drive, and the overwhelming response convinced him to make giving a culture.

“We may not change the world, but let’s do our part,” he said. “A million shillings may not solve everything, but if a hundred of us give, that’s a hundred million. If I can bring people together for entertainment, why can’t I bring them together for a cause?”

“Yes, last time we supported flood victims in Bugolobi, but at least they could fend for themselves. These children cannot. They live only on what people like us give. I knew then this was where my birthday celebration should be,” he said.

He challenged fellow businesspeople and peers to adopt giving as a lifestyle.

“Sometimes, as individuals, we feel powerless. But together, we can make a huge difference. Tonight, everyone who contributed will go to bed knowing they helped keep these children alive and hopeful.”

Brother Joaquim noted that much more is still needed—food, detergents, new bathrooms, washing machines, and a house for disabled children to study. “If anyone watching or hearing about today can help, we welcome every kind of support,” he urged.

“We are not the most intelligent or the luckiest people. We are simply blessed. So why not share those blessings? My mission is to have peaceful, pure hearts and to help when we can. This is not about me—it is about us.”

The giveaway started with a fundraising campaign last Sunday, where friends and customers of SILO came together for charity games and part of the contributions was given to this noble cause.