Following the phase out of Rakai Health Sciences Program funding to KCDO, the funding ended in September 2020. However because of covid-19 pandemic, the graduation could not take place.
Using the scientific new normal, we decided to have graduation of children who completed the courses in three phases and today Wednesday, we have had second day of graduation; tool kits have been given out and certificates, as seen in the photos.
This year 2021 there will be no more support to the vulnerable children because of no more funding for such.
We are very proud of our graduates, and know that they will go forward making a positive difference in our community. We pray that more graduates will be able to follow in their footsteps in the future. KCDO will need new funding for future students. We strongly believe God will do above all we think and ask. We have prayed for it on this Ash Wednesday.
Nakatereke Paulina is a single mother aged over 50 and resident of Nakateete Village, Nakateete Parish, Kisekka sub-county in Lwengo District. She is the household head of a family with seven children and five grandchildren, including OVC.
The household’s economic, health and social status is low, which prompted Kyamaganda Community Development Organization to enroll the household in OVC Program in October 2019 with the goal to improve their economic, health and social status.
According to the household assessment that was conducted in October 2019, the household was found in a critical state with no income-generating activities, poor hygiene, nutrition and health, surviving on hand-to-mouth agriculture.
The source of food in this household was the return given after work and and this was supplemented with the home grown food which could hardly sustain the large family of more than twelve members. The household members survived on a single carbohydrate meal per day, mainly porridge. As a result, children manifested signs of malnutrition.
Household members receiving mosquito bed nets
Some children dropped out of school at an early age and some of them are child-mothers. According to the care giver, this is because the low household economic status cannot uphold children in school. Family members were prone to malaria as they were not sleeping under mosquito bed nets.
In response to this unpleasant situation, the household was provided with mosquito bed nets from the Peace Corps and the US Presidential Malaria Initiative, which greatly improved the health status of the family members.
Family receiving economic booster packages from KCDO: pigs and maize bran
In addition, Kyamaganda Community Development Organization, with support from Rakaii Health Science Program, provided a booster grant of one pig and maize bran in October-December quarter, with hope that this income generating activity will have a multiplier effort to sustain and uphold the household. The household will also receive farm inputs to improve food security and to improve the nutrition of members, especially the children. The household will be monitored closely in the subsequent period to access the progress that will be made.
Caption: Nantajja (on the gown) receiving toolkit from Hon. Mbabali, as Mr.Monday Philip the OVC manager looks on, this was at the Apprenticeship graduation and giving away of toolkits at KCDO offices in qtr Oct-Dec,2019.
NANTAJJA AUSI’S SIMPLE BIOGRAPHY
Nantajja Ausi is 18 years old, lives with his elderly grand mom aged 90 in Sseke village, Busubi parish in Kisakka Sub county, lwengo district.
He is an orphan, the father died when he was at the age of 12, left him under the care of elderly caregiver who was in a complete despair, without any standby source of income, at his early childhood, he faced a lot of challenges, having access to two meals a day was a golden festival, cassava and plane porridge was a complete meal all days and nights, putting on a “shoe” not even mere “Nigiina” was never dreamt of in his life ,whenever he felt sick the old woman could go and harvest local herbs from the bush, luckily he could get cured “Nantajja narrated”.
In January-March quarter-2019, KCDO received a referral from CDO Kinoni town council reflecting economic strengthening as one of the weakest areas to be assisted in, KCDO social worker made arrangements and planned household assessments, conducted assessment on this household and scored 72% being moderately vulnerable and was eligible for OVC program, the OVC was enrolled on the program and on a proud note he was enrolled on apprenticeship to study welding in one of the welding workshops in Kinoni Town council. Nantajja loved the course which enabled him to complete the training and received the toolkit.
VERBAL TESTMONIAL SUCCESS MADE BY NANTAJJA
During apprenticeship follow-up and motoring, our social worker got a chance to interact with him about the progress and success so far registered since he received the toolkit .In his response, he notified as “I Nantajja after having graduated and received the toolkit, because I was disciplined and committed to my work which made me attain welding skills, my trainer master Mugabi Ronald called me back and employed me, meanwhile as I look for financial strengths to withstand my welding workshop. Indeed I don’t regret in life, I feel my brain is now washed, my job is now my shield because i even support the old woman (grand mom) who is in a disadvantaged state, no longer productive, Indeed most times i feel like dreaming when I also carry a kilo of meat and sugar to my grandmom,am so thankful beyond words”.
Additionally he revealed to our staff that out of 70,000shillings he earns on a weekly basis, he has so far bought a machine grinder at 350,000/=,Welding cable ,Handsaw and welding oil in preparation to establishing his own welding workshop by February,2021.
KCDO staff interrogates Nantijja at his work place.
APPRECIATIONS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In his words he quoted that “I can’t thank KCDO and Rakai Project enough, but I appreciate for the generous parental hearts showed to me to ensure that at least I also enjoy this happy life through giving this golden opportunity of facilitating me throughout my training process and start-up kit, I request you to pass on my appreciations to them and I ask God to give them whatever their hearts desire and continue serving humanity”.
We are so grateful to Rakai Health Sciences Program for their continued support of our KCDO community. This week Rakai supported 35 households with items that will enhance agricultural production of foods, both for family use and for sale at market.
Agricultural support items include spray pumps, improved maize, fertilizers, and herbicides; all of these will allow for the community to support themselves through producing maize on a commercial level.
Additional information was shared from an environmental engineer in the US. Stephen Henshaw writes, “Please read the labels thoroughly and make sure that the children are not exposed to harmful chemicals. Skin absorbs chemicals. Chemicals also go into ground water and travel from fields to other areas. Do not let children touch herbicides and fertilizers. Children should never be near bottles or mixtures with these chemicals.”
Willy responded, “Great for that technical guidance and hope the engineer can give us timely guidance to overcome environmental pollution and related long-term undesirable effects.”
Thank you SO much Rakai Health Sciences Program!The KCDO women, children and families are so grateful for your continued support, and are proud to have the opportunity to produce quality maize for commercial sales in the market.
Bukenya Willy, Executive Director of KCDO, writes, “Am happy to inform you that Rakai Health Sciences Program has supported more women and child-headed families with income generating projects to ensure sustainability and family improvements in income levels.”
Bukenya Willy continues, “The support includes retail shop items, charcoal sellers, farm inputs like vegetable seedlings, herbicides, fertilizers, spray pump.”
“Watering cans were given to all HIV positive children so that they can help in the gardens.”
Receiving these gifts is both a great achievement and a great blessing. KCDO’s ongoing positive relationship with Rakai has helped secure this important assistance. These products will give women and children the ability to work to sustain their own families so that they can have independence and security.
