Sad News From Uganda

These past two weeks I seem to keep getting hard news from Uganda. 

First, I found out six children at the orphanage (I have not yet talked about this) I worked at on the weekends were sick with malaria. The kids, usually energetic and loud were bedridden and missed over a week and a half of school. Although the orphanage has malaria nets, many are riddles with large holes that render them almost useless. The children, already underweight and malnourished, had lost their appetites and began to loose weight. The orphanage is located in a rural village and they do not have access to malaria treatment or physicians. I waited for news every day to see if they were beginning to get better.  I remember the huge relief I felt after receiving the news that they were better and all back in school!

 

Some of the boys at Hope Children's Home

Drake, the director of Faith Children’s Foundation, the school I worked at was sending me updates on the children and some details about their home lives when I found out Webuga Henry’s father had passed away from HIV/AIDS.  Webuga and his mother are also HIV positive. I could always count on Webuga to flash me a huge smile. He would sing Mango Tree, a lugandan song, with such intensity it made us all laugh. I cannot imagine his loss and the uncertainty he must feel at the death of his father. Please send your thoughts to Webuga and his family and pray that he will continue to attend school.

 

Webuga being a goof ball!

Emma, the director of the orphanage, contacted me and told me about Batusa.  Emma takes care of 28-orphaned children but there are many more orphans in the village whom he does not have the resources to care for. Batusa is an orphaned 9-year-old girl who lives with her two brothers who neglect her and occasionally beat her. She is not given food regularly and is malnourished. Unfortunately, she is also suffering from unknown medical ailments. Her entire body is swollen and she is in a great deal of pain. I was astonished when Emma told me he could not take her to the hospital, which was only 30 minutes away because he did not have the $200 he needed for an appointment. I will post when I return from India about why I am so passionate about international health but the short of it is that I cannot fathom how people in developed countries have access to health care at a moments notice yet so many people have never seen a doctor and if the need arises they often have no way of getting to a hospital or clinic which may be miles away, the education to recognize the need to see a physician or the funds to be seen at a clinic. When I heard Batusa’s story it reiterated for me why I am dedicated to international healthcare and why I am so passionate about this. Her story is just one that I happen to know. There are hundreds of thousands of different people facing the same challenges right now. We were able to raise the money for Batusa to see a doctor and she is now living with Emma at Hope Children's Home. 

 

After hearing the above news I was a little disheartened. My spirits are lifted knowing that the children are blessed and at a significant advantage to have Faith Children’s Foundation or Hope Children’s Home and Primary School. Please keep the children in your thoughts and prayers.