Background
Warm greetings from Lutaaya Muhammed a youth with physical disabilities from Kituntu Sub County in Mpigi district, a student of I.C.T at Mildi Africa Institute located at Kayabwe Town Council, elected male Councilor for persons with disabilities at lower local government, secretary District Union and role model.
I am by names of Nankinga Flavia from Kakoni, Nindye sub parish, Nkozi Sub County in Mpigi District. I am a youth with physical disabilities and I study from Mildi Africa Institute where I am going to acquire a certificate in I.C.T. I am also working as a secretary in a CBS PEWOSA group at my Village as well as a member of NUDIPU.
The Fruit
By Lutaaya Muhammed
SAU is acronym for Show Abilities Uganda, an umbrella organization of youth with disabilities which was established in 2003 and registered in 2019 to bring together different categories of youth with disabilities including those with mental, intellectual, sensory and physical impairments between 18-30years of age. It works with a vision of having; “A society inclusive of youth with disabilities” in Uganda through empowering youth with disabilities as role models and increasing access to vocational skills. SAU has given us many fruits by playing a big role in our localities as stated below;
1. It has done much in sensitizing and giving awareness to the parents and care takers of YWDs and duty bearers to support their children in accessing vocational training.
2. It has mobilized YWDs and supported them to enroll in the vocational institutions.
3. Liaise with government officials and vocational training institutions to ensure inclusion of YWDs in vocational training.
4. Support in the funding raising activities of the organization.
5. Support in monitoring and evaluation of the project activities.
6. Mobilizing YWDs to participate in SAU while being gender and disability sensitive
7. Manage and support the YWDs leaders.
8. Preside over community dialogues and sensitization meetings.
According to the duties that I have mentioned above implemented by SAU it actually means that it has made a great positive change in the lives of YWDs hence bearing a lot of fruits like;
✓ We are giving counseling and guidance to fellow YWDS.
✓ We have become role models.
✓ Joyful volunteers
✓ Pure advocates
✓ Self reliant and independent
✓ We take apart in family decision making
✓ We have gained our respect and human rights. Like the right to education and many other rights.
✓ We have gained self esteem since we can now express ourselves without fidgeting or fear….. And so many others.
✓ We managed to form a group of youth with disabilities (MPIYODA) at district level and at the ground where we come from.
Picking the fruit
By Nankinga Flavia
I joined SAU in 2021 through the mobilization of our local leaders in our district. This gave me a chance to meet my mentors and SAU volunteers like Iryn Mutibwa and Kisakye Joan. These people encouraged me to join the Institute because SAU works on personal growth through provision of financial support like school fees and school materials. At the Institute, I have learnt all basic Computer Skills such as Graphic Designing, Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets, Microsoft Office Word and basic Computer knowledge. We have also learnt Life Skills which include Communication Skills and Business Maths. All these came in time and I am very happy that they have supported me. I believe that the skills I got from Mildi Africa are going to help me in future and I am sure I will help my fellow friends especially those with Disabilities to gain in my skills which I have got. Great thanks go to the Government of Uganda, Government of Denmark (Danish YWDs) for your good spirit and continued full support to SAU as YWDs organization.
Conclusion
As role models of SAU we promise to keep on building team spirit in our fellow YWDs, encouraging them to get involved in main streaming, focusing on being job makers rather than job seekers and encouraging them not to despise work anymore. We shall always keep reminding other YWDs that work goes hand in hand with good morals and qualifications. Special thanks goes to the efforts from different people, well wishers and organizations. Among the people I can’t forget are; Mr. Mayanja John Kasule the District Union Chairperson, Hon Betty Kinene the Female PWDs Councilor, Mpigi district, Mr. Kiyemba Mansoor , Cyrus Becca Ssempijja Male PWDs Councilor, Mpigi district, administrative assistant Mr. Mugabe Frank (NUDIPU) and entire leadership of Mpigi district plus the Government of Uganda. They are the ones who discovered me. I continue to acknowledge the entire National Union of Disabled persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) and NUDIPU youth now alias SAU(show abilities Uganda) officially in 2019 after registration. And in a special way the SAU ED, Madam Betty Cheptoek and the whole team she operates through which I have been showed a better way to go by sensitizing me, counseling and giving me career guidance and supporting my fellow youth with disabilities to change attitudes.
Disability is not Inability
