Thumbs Up- Uganda

easy for my parents to pay our school tuitions, each child struggled to educate his or herself. He gave me two piglets of which within two years I sold and bought a bicycle, with the help of my bicycle, I started a small business of riding a bicycle at least 200 km just to buy fish and sale in the local market to get fees for my study. I could not go far with my education, after secondary, I joined teaching college to become a teacher. This was in 1999 when there was WAR between Lord Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan People Defence Forces (UPDF). As the LRA was interested in training children to become soldiers, the Rebels abducted me and my younger brothers. I stayed with them for two weeks. During this time I saw many persons with disabilities, being left in their homes when the relatives fled from the rebels. People with disabilities are unable to run and unable to hide and all in all they are seen as being useless. They stayed back in their houses and the rebels Initiate young children into soldiers by killing some of these disabled persons. I personally was ordered to kill a woman with quadriplegic condition, she was very weak and for not answering the rebel’s questions. I refused to kill her and instead chief commander ordered for my death of which one commander shot me. Luckily I survived but wounded. That was how I escaped from rebel’s atrocities because they thought they had already killed me. Thereafter, I started thinking of doing something to support disabled persons but I did not know where to start from. I then went back to University to study Special Education in order to work with children with disabilities in schools. After graduating with a diploma in special needs education from Kyambogo University, I came back and taught in a school for the blind and in other schools for children with disabilities. In April, 2005 my wife gave birth to a son. After two months he suffered from malaria. The medical treatment damaged his cochlear. He became profoundly deaf. What affected me most was the attitudinal behaviors of my community toward my family. They said I was punished with a deaf child because my parents were sinful. My wife left me due to the fact that her parents did not understand how the disability of our child came about. Then I had to quit my job to take care of my child. People saw me carrying him around. I used to cry every evening, I felt very lonely. As a special needs teacher I thought of creating awareness in local churches. During community meetings I tried to make sure that my people understand the cause of disability. One day, during community meeting I met with my brother in- law, he was touched with my message to the community members about inclusive of children with disabilities in all form of lives and equality for all. The day after, my wife was brought back to me and lives continues. Am very much aware that in both developed and developing countries, promoting more inclusive societies and employment opportunities for people with disabilities requires improved access to Informal and basic education, vocational training relevant to labour market needs. Jobs suited to the skills, interests and abilities in accessible environment. Disabled people in Uganda, as in most developing countries in the world, face extreme conditions of poverty, have limited opportunities for accessing education due to the fact that parents relate disabilities to culture and tradition, health, and suitable housing and employment opportunities are very poor. I have discovered that many of societies are also recognizing the need to dismantle other barriers but still most communities are backward and count on disabilities as a curse, sins and misfortune. I envision that one day, all parents will live in inclusive communities that embrace the uniqueness of their children. My experiences triggered me to work harder with parents of disabled children. I know many of my fellow parents who have children with disabilities who are ignorant about causes of disabilities. Many don't know what they can do to solve difficulties. But I also realize that the reactions towards having a disabled child can be different: some take a very negative approach and can put their child into life danger. Some parents begin a journey that takes them into a life that is often filled with strong emotions, difficult choices, interactions with many different professionals and specialists, and an ongoing need for information and services. A lot of disabled children are locked in their homes and don't go to school. This is my journey, to bring children with disabilities and their parents back to school and back to society. I therefore believe that, when a child with disability is helped at the early stage of development, the level of severity of disability is reduced and positive attitude are in built toward person with disabilities by community members. It is already a problem in Uganda, most of the parents of children with disabilities are not fully informed about conditions of their children and they end up neglecting or abandoning their children with grandparents or killing their own children or getting divorce or separating the family. For as long as I can remember, sharing my experience with others has been my release. It has given me a chance to escape into the world I created: Parents of children with disabilities becoming role models. I know that some of the greatest works of life emerged out of hardships, but I also know that great effort can grow and develop in projects like what I proposed. Being raised by my grandfather has taught me “that the focus should not be on where you have been, but on where you are going and more importantly, where you want to go”. Founder of THUMPS UP