Supporting Children with Disabilities in Uganda

Dear Supporter

We are delighted to share with you the progress of our work in Uganda, which we've undertaken in difficult circumstances of a pandemic, making huge progress in partnership with Kyaninga Child Development Centre (KDC).

The problem facing children with disabilities such as cerebral plasy or autism in Uganda is complex. Whilst 34.8% of children have a developmental delay (aged 36-59 months), only 5% children diagnosed attend schools, meaning the vast majority are severely disadvantaged from the outset.

MAIT's Community Healthworker Programme works to address this. Our expert therapists provide significant training expertise, whilst KDC provides an extensive network of social workers, home visitors and health workers who are linked into the community. This ensures we address the critical support needs of isolated families who live in some of more remote parts of Uganda.

Rachel Lassman, an occupational therapist at KDC tells us 'Community healthworkers often don't know how to recognise signs. A child may attend an immunisation and not be holding their head properly - or be able to feed in the right way.''

Our recent training at Kyaninga has trained 61 health workers on part one of MAITS's Manual. This has been helpful in improving understanding of early diagnosis for children with special needs, critical in improving the child's participation in life but also building confidence with caregivers to improve the quality of lives for families. 

’The training has gone extremely well, with excellent participation from all the trainees creating great discussion and sharing of knowledge. ‘’ MAITS Trainer

'' I never had hope in these children. I used to think they were already wasted children but now I understand that they can improve and it also gives us mothers hope.'' Recent Participant, Health worker

MAITS are now excited to embark on Phase 2 of our training, which will see our Master Trainers deliver face to face training with Community Healthworkers in some of more remote areas from September - teaching hands on practical skills and therapeutic interventions. 

Your support is making a huge difference for these families, by increasing knowledge, skills and ultimately health care provision for children wtih special needs.  It's incredibly humbling. Thank you.

Warm wishes,

MAITS Team

Sadia, Kamila, Edwina and Emma