Dumped Tororo woman smiles after operation

By Faustine Odeke

A 38 year old woman who was dumped by her husband for suffering from goiter can now afford a smile after undergoing successful operation.

Rose Atyang, a mother of 8 children was in 2006 chased away together with all the children by her husband Bernard Omalwa from their marital home in Malakisi village in Teso north district for allegedly being a disgrace to the family.

Atyang a born of Kajarau Village in Mukuju Sub County said the goitre which started developing like a pimple consequently kept on growing from 1991 when she had just married Omalwa.

‘He started mistreating me and calling me all sorts of names before he decided to marry another woman and chased me like a dog. Everybody in the village was looking at me like an animal’ Atyang told New Vision in Mukuju on Saturday. 

However Atyang met her luck in 2009 when a group of American doctors, organized American NGO ‘Hope for the women’ offered free surgical camp in Smile Africa ministries in Tororo town.

Smile Africa is an NGO that caters and gives supports to disadvantaged group especially orphans, widows and Women in Tororo district.

Her elder sister Angela Akademet said she introduced Atyang to Pastor Ruth Kahawa of smile Africa who took her to the doctors who advised them that the sickness was complicated and needed specialized operation.

Hope for the women president Rachael Eggum said her organization then mobilized for financial support from the members which enabled Atyang to under successful operation in Kibuli hospital by doctors from Mulaga hospital on 23.2.2010.

Atyang was all smiles at the time the New Vision visited her while thanking Hope for women from rescuing her from being condemned by the public and her own relatives who used to laugh at her and calling all sorts of names she never deserved.

She said despite all the success, the operations doesn’t allow her to do hard work like digging yet she has a big family to look at. He first born is in senior one in Atiiri secondary school, 2 sat for primary leaving examination while the rest are still in lower primary.

She said since 2006, her husband has never bothered to follow her to check on her and children.