Community Connect

Joshua's parents were shocked when their son was born with a severe cleft lip and palate. They considered this a curse which had befallen their family. Suckling was difficult. Breathing too was labored. His mother, Robinah, felt he was in pain every time he cried. In its ignorance, the local community of Lwabagoma, Mubende District was convinced that a demon had possessed Joshua and eaten parts of his body. His parents were shunned by everyone and felt ashamed for what was merely a birth defect; curable with a minor surgery.

04-year-old Cerinah has never crawled nor sat upright in her life. She can only sit with the aid of sitting frames, and when they are not available, she becomes more vulnerable. According to Beatrice, her mother, Cerinah was born pre-maturely at 07 months at her parents’ home in Mpongo, Mityana District. Her mother rushed to Mityana Hospital to be incubated, but she failed due to the exorbitant fees that were quoted. She was advised to do it at home.

Allen Namuyaba was 17 years of age when she gave birth to her first born in 2016 at Kikandwa HCIII, Mubende District. It was all joy and jubilations for the first 24 hours, and then something which left the baby disabled happened.