Sh8m raised for widowed, blind, HIV-positive Nyakato's house.

By Nigel Nassar and Dennis Dibele

It is exactly six months since we published the story of Joan Nyakato, titled: “Widowed, Blind, HIV-Positive, all Nyakato Needs is a House.”
        
The story, a tale of a family in an HIV-AIDS dilemma amidst abject poverty in the faraway Kisindizi village of Masindi district, was published in New Vision on December 15, 2011.

Highlighting the life struggles of the HIV-positive, blind and helpless Nyakato, who has to raise four children including an HIV-positive one she conceived after being raped, the story turned up   lots of feedback.

Many readers pledged to help build a house for the needy family, while others pledged to adopt the helpless children or start up an income-generating project for the family.

Some readers have come good on their promises, names of whom we published in a follow-up article two months ago, which also prompted other contributions.

By the time of the update, New Vision had through its readers collected sh1,025,000 towards the construction of a house for the family.

Following the update, other contributors came on board. Among them were some substantial contributions, including sh4,037,502 from a fundraising initiative started at Uganda Martyrs Church in Toronto, Canada, by Moses Kiwanuka, a Ugandan instrumentalist who ministers music at the church.

Others included tangible household effects and sh354,950 from the students and teachers of Gayaza High School; sh862,000 from the judiciary staff; sh350,000 from an anonymous sender and sh800,000 from Dfcu Bank staff.

As you read this, we have collected sh8,093,450 towards the construction of Nyakato’s family’s house.

With the budget for the house standing at sh11.9m, only sh3,806,550 stands between this family and safe housing.

However, Vision Group is to meet the remaining amount to ensure the members of this family have a roof over their heads, while awaiting contributions for the family’s income-generating project and welfare, like education and healthcare.

On our recent visit to deliver food and other tangible stuff New Vision readers contributed, we found out that locals had renovated the family’s wobbly shack while awaiting the construction to start next month.

On a bad note however, a teacher at the local St. Peters Kihuba, where Nyakato’s daughter Theresa Amanyiire used to attend school, told us the young girl had dropped out of school unclear circumstances.

So, even with a new house coming for Nyakato’s family, the future of her children (Theresa Amanyiire, Christopher Mujuni, William Tindyebwa and Jacinta Karungi) still hangs in balance, as none of them is in school.

New Vision would like to thank the following people for contributing to this cause. They are as follows:

CONTRIBUTIONS BY MOBILE MONEY FOR WIDOWED WOMAN-NYAKATO JOAN
 
Namaganda christine.....................................................10,000                 
Gulu....................................................................................10,000                 
John Walker.........................................................................5,000                 
Enos Baghendaghe.........................................................15,000                 
David Mayega.....................................................................50,000                 
Lydia Awor..............................................................................5,000                 
Vicent Agaba......................................................................15,000                 
John Ngarukire..................................................................20,000                 
Christine Kawasiima........................................................30,000                             
NEEMA Nambi Josephine...............................................220,000                 
Elizabeth Olule...................................................................40,000              
John Mutto...........................................................................5,000                
Moses Kyobe Sserunkuuma..........................................10,000                
Charles Baguma...............................................................22,000                
Doreen Abwola..................................................................25,000                
Johnson Okonya................................................................5,000                
Albert Mugisha....................................................................50,000                
Godfrey..................................................................................21,000                
Prossy..................................................................................11,000                
Turinayo................................................................................5,000                
Evelyn....................................................................................7,000                
Harriet...................................................................................6,000                
Sylvia.....................................................................................4,400                
James...................................................................................50,000                
Viola......................................................................................15,000                
Carolyn..................................................................................50,000                
RONSSE...............................................................................50,000                
Maureen................................................................................20,700                
Newton.................................................................................13,000               
Andrew Zimbe.....................................................................10,000                 
Nyanabo and Sons............................................................10,000                 
Nantongo.............................................................................5,000                 
Namugenyi Christine.......................................................10,000                 
Lydia Watsemwa...............................................................15,000                 
Juliana Kiwuwa..................................................................6,000                 
Raymond ...........................................................................103,000                     
Euroset Uganda Limited - Kampala.............................100,000                 
Jenifer Atex.........................................................................140,000                    
Nyakato-Regina St Andrew..............................................94,400                      
Nkonge.................................................................................5,000                 
Nyakati-Josephine.............................................................65,000                   
Unknown sender................................................................360,000..................3           
Unknown sender            5,000              
Uganda Martyrs Church, Toronto, ...................................4,037,500
Canada, care of Moses Kiwanuka      
Gayaza High School (students and teachers)..............354,950      
Judiciary staff.......................................................................862,000      
Unknown sender.................................................................350,000      
Dfcu Bank staff.....................................................................800,000