AMDA WOMEN VISITS KARIDAARI SEED EDUCATION HOUSE FOR DISABLED CHILDREN, RWENTOBO, RUSHOOKA

BRIEF ON THE KARIDAARI CHARITY VISIT

On Saturday 6th July 2024, AMDA Women representatives visited Karidaari Seed School House of the Disabled Children in Rwentobo, Rushooka Parish. The team had a good time with the children and was overjoyed to experience love and compassion from AMDA.

Founded by the Franciscan Fathers exactly 10 years ago, the facility takes care of 40 resident children with special needs, and twice a week, receives over 100 walk-in patients with multiple challenges at the Physiotherapy Centre. The Centre also has an outreach of more than 1000 patients supported in collaboration with the Rushooka Parish structures.

The centre which admits everyone irrespective of their religious denominations depends almost entirely on donors as most of the parents are unable to afford the symbolic fee they are asked to contribute.

According to Ms Sarah Colleca, the Director of Karidaari, this visit was an extraordinary gesture and a simple yet significant way to celebrate the centre’s tenth anniversary. She added that loving these children is Divine as the image of God manifests more in His special children. Indeed, interacting with the children, and touring the different sections of the well-built and maintained centre enabled the team to appreciate the great work the Franciscans are doing in giving the children a chance to celebrate life and feel valued. The team also spent reasonable time listening to and encouraging the teachers, most of whom are volunteers and not paid to do this work. They are part of the OFM Lay Franciscans who serve under the greater international group of the Order of Franciscans Minor.

The AMDA Women were hosted to a dinner at the Parish after the visit and they had an opportunity to interact with the Franciscan Community,  Parish Council leadership and Women Leaders who appreciated AMDA’s continued manifestation of love and service, ahead of the September Caravan. 

Praying with the Christians on Sunday gave us a good opportunity to continue to popularize the Caravan, and to witness ongoing the preparations with great anticipation among the Rushooka Community. 

We sincerely appreciate the Rushooka Kampala Chapter for the wonderful preparations towards this visit especially identifying this centre and for hosting us.

We appreciate the massive donations that were received from AMDA Women, the AMDA ExCo and friends of AMDA that made our visit more meaningful and impactful. These included food items, clothes, toiletries, detergents, games and toys in good quantities.

The school still needs more support such as drugs as some of the children are on chronic medication and others need wheelchairs. The Centre also needs referrals and direct linkages with Specialist Doctors for advice and attention to some of the complicated cases.

We shall continue to collect Caravan Donations and cash contributions as Karidaari Seed School was only one of the many different groupings we would wish to share within this Caravan season.

May you continue to receive abundant blessings as you share with the vulnerable of God’s creation.

SPERA ATUHAIRWE 
ON BEHALF OF AMDA WOMEN COUNCIL