By Nathan Eyagu 

SOROTI DISTRICT — Five families raising children with disabilities in Adamasiko, Dakabela County, Soroti District, have received wheelchairs and heifers from Action of Love International in an intervention aimed at improving mobility, easing caregiving challenges and strengthening household livelihoods.

The support has renewed hope among the families, who often face financial constraints in meeting their children's needs. The wheelchairs are expected to improve mobility for the children who need them, while the heifers could provide milk and a potential source of income through reproduction.

For many parents caring for children with disabilities, access to mobility aids and other essential resources remains a challenge. The intervention seeks to address some of these difficulties while promoting the dignity, inclusion and well-being of the children and their families.

Jefferson Kandi, the executive director of Action of Love International, said the organisation was responding to the challenges faced by children with disabilities, some of whom experience neglect and limited access to essential support.

Kandi said the initiative aims to ease the burden on parents and caregivers while giving families greater hope for the future.

“Some of these children find it difficult to move around, and their families often struggle to access the resources they need. We are here to ease the burden on parents and caregivers and give these children greater hope for the future,” Kandi said.

He explained that the wheelchairs would help beneficiaries who require mobility assistance, while the heifers could provide long-term benefits through milk production and reproduction, potentially improving household livelihoods.

Kandi noted that the organisation had been implementing similar interventions to improve the lives of both children and adults with disabilities.

He urged parents and caregivers to treat children with disabilities with love, dignity and acceptance, emphasising that disability should never be a reason for rejection or neglect.

He added that the initiative also seeks to strengthen family relationships by helping households access support that can improve their welfare and create opportunities for greater inclusion.

Kandi called on donors and well-wishers to partner with the organisation in supporting people with disabilities, particularly those who require additional assistance to meet their daily needs.

He also urged local council chairpersons at the LC1 level to work closely with the organisation to identify more people with disabilities who could benefit from similar interventions.

Abongu David, the councillor representing people with disabilities in Oculoi Sub-county, commended Action of Love International for extending assistance to families in the community.

Abongu encouraged the beneficiaries and their families to take good care of the donated wheelchairs and heifers to ensure they benefit from the intervention over time.

He pledged to monitor the beneficiaries to ensure the animals are properly cared for and remain with their intended recipients.

Abongu also appealed to the government to increase support for people with disabilities, noting that non-governmental organisations alone cannot meet the needs of everyone requiring assistance.

He expressed concern that some people with disabilities continue to face difficulties accessing government programmes intended to improve their welfare and called for more effective implementation of such initiatives.

Meanwhile, Emwalu Moses, the LC3 chairperson of Oculoi Sub-county, praised the organisation for its humanitarian work and commitment to improving the livelihoods of people with disabilities.

Emwalu said the wheelchairs would improve mobility for beneficiaries who need them, while the heifers could provide milk and help families strengthen their livelihoods.

He encouraged the parents and caregivers to take proper care of the animals and use the support to improve their household conditions.

Grace Akiror, a resident of Adamasiko Village, said she had struggled to obtain a wheelchair and a heifer for her child because of the financial challenges facing her family.

She welcomed the support, describing it as a source of renewed hope, and pledged to take good care of the heifer.

Other parents also welcomed the intervention, saying the assistance would make a meaningful difference in their children's lives and help address some of the challenges associated with caregiving.

For the five families, the donation represents an opportunity to improve their children's mobility while exploring ways to strengthen household livelihoods through the heifers.