Awakening hope

We have endured a few difficulties on our trip. We dropped our laptop, resulting in an unsightly kink at the corner. We have been bitten by sundry insects, sweltered on long car journeys, got soaking wet once, missed meals, and both suffered from an excess of visits to the toilet.

On the other hand, Martin, whose legs have never worked, has no money to replace the tyres on his hand-tricycle, or to repair the thatch on his hut as the rainy season begins. And at least two disabled children have died recently because families don’t know how to care for them, the nearest reasonable medical care is two hours on a motorbike and they can afford neither the journey nor the treatment, even supposing they get the right advice. The village health centre has no staff or drugs. I could tell a dozen stories like this.

The people we have been meeting the last couple of days are doubly forgotten. Their remote rural community is near the boundary of two districts and neither seems interested. Virtually everyone is struggling to get by, depleted by recent drought (climate change) on top of the neglect. They cultivate a little plot, cut wood to sell, try to get some work in an area with no real employment opportunities apart from casual labour. But for families living with disability it is much worse as they have more expenses and less income than others, less ability to do for themselves, and this community traditionally has not treated them as fully human. Hardly any have been to school, or remained there long enough to gain useful knowledge. Even in church they are not fully included and some parents seem to feel it is more important to turn up themselves in their best clothes, than to take their disabled child.

However we are really excited with the signs of change. Today in Soroti the dry season is coming to an end with a decent thunderstorm, and it feels like the days of drought could be numbered.

A couple of years ago, one of the Global Care managers (and heroes), Oumo David, raised his concerns about the needs of this community and wondered if we could support them to create a Disability Support Group, as we did seven years ago in a village called Atiira, at the other end of the district. Encouraged by the UK leaders and us, he convened meetings, helped draw up a constitution and get leaders elected and the group registered. We visited last January to witness part of this process and were struck by how needy the area is. Dirt poor doesn’t really do it justice.

In the last two days we have been repeatedly bowled over, reduced to tears, and astonished at what people were saying. Their eyes have been opened to the fact that disabled people including the most disabled children, are human beings with the same basic needs and rights as everyone. They mention God quite a lot when discussing this. They are prepared to put their money where their mouth is by contributing a little from their meagre resources each month, in order to help one another but mostly the children. This has enabled them to provide emergency relief for medical needs and education requirements and a business loan so someone can support his family. They volunteer in official and serving roles, staffing a playscheme that brings formerly isolated children together to play and share a meal. The changes in these kids in a few weeks can hardly be believed.

By stepping up and taking responsibility for what is going on in their community, the DSG members have moved others to become partners with them. The school is providing space for the playscheme, the local council provided some mats and we were taken to see new beehives hung in the mango trees that will provide honey to sell. There is a new poultry house as well, though we seem to have escaped without being asked to help vaccinate the chickens (we have mixed feelings about this).

These are really early days for this group and there will be a lot more loss and tragedy here before things improve substantially. There are too many entrenched issues to expect quick solutions. But David’s initiative has changed the outlook. Now we need a few friends to get alongside these brave people. When we left today we found they had put a jack fruit, some huge avocados and a big bag of peanuts in the car. Generosity of spirit like this deserves to be honoured.