| July 2026 report: Another cleft patient, and meeting with Sudanese refugees |
| Community report from our social worker Rose |
| On 11th June our Acheru community based rehabilitation team met with 23 disabled refugee children from Sudan through an organisation called Trauma Aid Uganda. These people had run for their lives and many of their family members were killed. They came with nothing, having to leave everything behind. In tears, they described their journey; the gun shots, witnessing loved ones killed, walking long distances without food or water. The children are traumatised. Some young boys were abducted to be trained to use guns. Young girls were openly raped. |
| They ended up in the different camps around Uganda and they say life has been a torture to them. Food, clothes, medication, warm covers and finding a tent to sleep in was so hard. They live miserable lives of staying in a new country where they aren't free to move, work and don't know the language. |
| When it came to caring for a disabled child life became so hard. They love their children so much because their culture teaches them that loving and taking care of a disabled person is a blessing from God and that is why those who survived and managed to run didn't leave them behind. These children are a full time job to these families because they can't go anywhere without them. |
| They lack necessities to take care of these children, like nutritious foods and medication. |
| Organisations like Trauma Aid do what they can to give some little help to these families, but the number is big and increasing every day. Still they can't do it all. |
| Assessment was done and referrals were made according to the nature of the disability. Those with cases which could be handled at ACHERU were give contacts and others were referred to specific places where they could be helped. |
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| Meeting with Sudanese refugees |
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| Kolam before and after surgery for burns contracture |
| OJAMBO RICHARD is 7 months old, from PARISA DISTRICT, RATI village. He came to ACHERU with a complaint of an open lip. There was no medical intervention before ACHERU. |
| His mother says: "I gave birth to my first baby and he was very fine. But when baby number 2 came he came with an open lip which made us so scared as the family. It was our first time seeing a child with that problem. I cried so much because I didn't know where to start from as a mother. I imagined how I was going to raise him looking like that. |
| In the village where I come from, people can talk and make you hate your life. I was told that I have bad omen that is why I gave birth to a child who is like that, others said I took family planning medicine and it affected my boy. It didn't end there, others added I have a problem in my womb, it's like a worm which ate my son's mouth. |
| I really became so frustrated and started hiding my son in the house because everyone who had a look at him said a lot of bad things which were so hurting. I had no idea that something so beautiful could be done to change his life. |
| It was a beautiful and blessed day when I took him for immunisation, and I met a beautiful person who saw him and didn't talk bad or judge me because of his looks. This person told me that something could be done to change his look, I loved hearing the conversations because it was giving a lot of hope and courage. |
| This person knew someone who could connect me to Acheru, at first I thought of where we were going to get the money, but in our conversations the person made it very easy and simple for me very fast. |
| A phone call was made and the person told me that surgery was completely free and I should travel as soon as possible when ready. I had no transport because we don't have a daily income. But guess what, I was given transport money too. Reaching Acheru I was given free nutritional care until he made the right weight for surgery. |
| It was a very successful surgery and my baby is looking so nice today. I'm so happy that God made me meet the best people in my life. All the burden and worries of raising him as a normal child was restored. |
| THANK YOU SO MUCH ACHERU. GOD BLESS YOU. |
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