Friday 19 June 2015

The Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda Arch-Bishop Michael August Blume visits OVC households living in abject poverty in Namuwongo slum.



It was a bright afternoon on 5th of May 2015 and the Apostolic Nuncio Arch-Bishop Michael August Blume; SVD Apostolic Nuncio accompanied by Fr. Fernando arrived at In Need Home fully prepared to go to visit families living in abject poverty.

They were welcomed to In Need Home by Anny Ngoga Bwengye the Executive director of In Need Home together with the staff.
The Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda together with Fr. Fernando and the staff of In Need Home walked to the slums and visited house to house. 


The children and their care givers were free to interact with the Nuncio and he prayed and blessed them. He asked some whether they have ever been visited by a priest or any pastor and one  old grandmother said that she has spent over 30years living in Namuwongo but she has never received a priest or a pastor in her house. She was so happy that she had to say that Jesus has entered in her house that very day.

Of course visiting a slum like Namuwongo, there are risks involved. You have to be prepared to cross sewage channels, muddy areas, if you enter the rooms in the slum they are infested with bedbugs, if you are white you be prepared to be called Muzungu by young and old people….the experience is endless.  To our surprise at In Need Home the Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda thanked In Need Home for arranging the visit. At In Need Home we were very surprised by the passion of Michael August Blume for children and poor people.
 
The orphans and vulnerable children under the care of In Need Home were so happy to have been visited by the Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda and all were in jubilation saying that we have seen the Pope.....the Pope has visited us. They entertained him and took photographs with him.




He addressed the children


He blessed In Need Home and promised to keep in touch with the home.

Thursday 14 May 2015


IN NEED HOME WELCOMES BHALOBASA

In Africa a visitor is treasured so much! This time visitors from Bhalobasa created a smile on the faces of children at In Need Home.


http://www.bhalobasa.it/2014/10/invito-pranzo-annuale-30-novembre/

In Need Home is a non governmental organisation in Uganda that works towards the general well being of Orphans and other vulnerable children(OVCs)living in slums of Kampala who are glossily living a life of denial from full enjoyment of their rights www.inneedhome.org

 These children are living in abject poverty, they are denied food because of fear of going to the toilet which is expensive, are unable to access education, medical care and other basic needs. The typical living room is made of mud and wattle, when it rains, there is no sleeping but only to stand covering themselves with polythene papers.  One of the families visited by Bhalobasa in  Kasanvu zone in Namuwongo slum, the single mother, one Betty, lamented about what the 25 children who lived in one room what they would eat that very night. Though visitors seemed shocked about where the children would sleep because the room was very small to house 25 persons, for her that was not her worry.  She narrates a story about how one of her children had died because of over flooding of Nakivubo channel that swept her house at night after heavy down fall.

Through the help of people like Bhalobasa Onlus from Italy, In Need Home tries to work with the Local councils, opinion  leaders and care givers of these poor children  and work as a team to provide for these children. They are helped to access education, those who are hungry are given food in addition to medical care and psycho social support.

When Bhalobasa visited In Need Home, they visited the families of these vulnerable children and sometimes it is not about material giving but love and care is what these children and their house holds need. The visitors freely talked to the care givers and slum dwellers and shared their experience about life in Namuwongo slum. This seemed not to end. I found out that before you even think of donating to the disadvantaged communities, it is very important first to restore hope which seem to have gone.


Thank you Bhalobasa for restoring hope to the orphans and other vulnerable children living in Namuwongo slum through home visits whenever you visit Uganda and providing education support.
http://www.bhalobasa.it/2014/10/invito-pranzo-annuale-30-novembre/