Day 8 - Wheels for the World in Jinja, Uganda 2022
Thank you for all your prayer support over the last week for the Wheels for the World Jinja team -- it's been an amazing week, with over 200 consultations, and 113 wheelchairs fitted. Here's Rob's report from Day 8, the home visits day.
Day 8:
Today was a bit of a different day, visiting 3 health centres and 3 recipients at home.
The home visits were lovely to do but quite moving to see and hear about the desperate social situation of many.
The first lady had previously had a stroke and was just laid in a dark room for 2 years before her wheelchair. When we arrived she was sat outside watching the village children play! Her brother does not have to carry her to hospital appointments anymore. He also spoke of how his personal view of disability had been changed by seeing the distribution and others there with disabilities and hearing the talk on inclusion.
Seeing two sons with severe disabilities who had received chairs was quite moving for the whole team. They lived on a small yard at the back of a factory in an industrial area in two small sheds with their other brothers and parents. The boys were sat out in their chairs which was good. But hearing their dad tell of the hardships caused Pastor Joseph to step away to compose himself with emotion. He commended the man for loving his family so well. The father said how grateful he was for the chairs, and how many had come to take photos of his children's condition and made promises but none had come through for him until now. He said how he had become a Christian and how the joy of the Lord gives him strength.
The day ended with a team debrief and lovely shared meal with the local team.
Much to be thankful for!
Some stats from the whole distribution:
113 wheelchairs fitted.
67 people received crutches.
12 zimmer frames.
9 walking sticks.
6 wheeled waking frames.
6 advice only.
6 transit chairs for local hospitals.
The team fly back to the UK tomorrow. I am travelling onward to Moyo to the refugee camps for some project support with Hope Health Action.
Day 7 - Wheels for the World in Jinja, Uganda 2022
We've got an amazing Wheels for the World team hard at work in Jinja, Uganda until the 18th June -- they'll be distributing and fitting wheelchairs to local disabled people with the partnership of our friends at RILD. Here's Rob's update from day 7 --the final day of wheelchair distribution. Thank you for all your prayer support over the last week.
Day 7:
37 people seen with 23 chairs given from only 15 usable ones in the morning! Last day of wheelchair fitting today. Tomorrow home visits.
What is always hard on the last day is having to adapt chairs which are too big for smaller people. Or having to decide that we have no appropriate chair for them.
The people pre-assessed had come. But many more came just because they heard about it. Around 8 children came right at the end! This was very sad, but Kathy was able to do a therapy session with them and Carol was able to give some small gifts and talk to them as well. And some went even with an adapted walker as a seat to be pushed on!
One young man with cerebral palsy was a delight to see! His two brothers had brought him. He was fitted for an attendant propelled chair, which has to be pushed by someone. He kept point at the wheels and making motions of pushing a bigger wheel. We tried him in a self- propelling chair and he was so delighted he shrieked with excitement. Moving the wheel and the whole chair just a few inches back and forth gave him great delight. Suffice to say he kept the chair and was very happy!
A middle aged local taxi driver arrived with an elderly client. He was wide eyed and said to me “I have never seen so many people with disabilities together in one place. I didn’t even know people lived like this…”. A reminder that so many people are kept shut away and unable to move around.
Pastor Joseph took me aside and said so many people had been calling him to say thank you for their wheelchairs. One said they went to school for the first time in years thanks to their new chair! What encouragements!
Tomorrow we have some clinic visits to donate transit chairs, before some community visits to understand some of the local situations of 3 beneficiaries.
A hard day, but the team were sustained! Thank you for your prayers!
Some end of distribution stats:
Total for all days -
217 total consultations
116 chairs
67 people given crutches
12 walking sticks
9 frames (inc Zimmer and rolator)
6 wheeled walkers
6 advice only
6 chairs given to hospitals
- Follow this link to the next blog entry from the Jinja 2022 trip
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Day 6 - Wheels for the World in Jinja, Uganda 2022
We've got an amazing Wheels for the World team hard at work in Jinja, Uganda until the 18th June -- they'll be distributing and fitting wheelchairs to local disabled people with the partnership of our friends at RILD. Here's Rob's update from day 6. We'll post updates as often as data and time allow -- please do pray for the team and recipients over the next week and a bit.
Day 6:
39 people seen. 18 of those needing wheelchairs. Only 15 generic chairs left in stock!
Today was a second very busy day as hoped and expected.
It's been such a daily joy of the team to regularly see recipients overflowing with joy and delight in moving for the first time in their wheelchair.
One lady had not been pre-assessed but came anyway. As our pre-assessed list ended today she was fortunate to get a chair. She couldn't hold back her child-like grin at moving in her chair without crawling on the ground!
Today we had a visit from the local media! Good to give an interview about the work here and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities.
A teaching assistant came today with 3 children from a disability school. They all got wheelchairs as needed and the 4 of them, plus chairs, went home on two motorbikes!
A joyful day, but the challenge begins as we have run out of all but very large chairs. It's like the meat is eaten and just the bones left as the locals may say. Tomorrow will be a challenge as almost all chairs will need padding out and adapting before giving.
Keep praying for energy for the team as we keep up a good working pace into a hard day tomorrow. Thank you all!
- Follow this link to the next blog entry from the Jinja 2022 trip
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Day 5 - Wheels for the World in Jinja, Uganda 2022
We've got an amazing Wheels for the World team hard at work in Jinja, Uganda until the 18th June -- they'll be distributing and fitting wheelchairs to local disabled people with the partnership of our friends at RILD. Here's Rob's update from day 5. We'll post updates as often as data and time allow -- please do pray for the team and recipients over the next week and a bit.
Day 5:
We hoped and prayed for a busy day today and we got it! 45 people seen, 29 needing wheelchairs and buggies. We had 4 therapy stations running efficiently so we did not feel rushed!
Henry the bird was a big hit with the children today! Along with bubbles and toys, distraction is helpful when your chair is being adjusted and fitted.
Saw some lovely people who were so thankful for the mobility aids.
We had a challenging case of an 18 year old with a 3 year history of blisters, weakness and other endocrine problems. His hospital told him it was nothing physical and others said it was most likely witchcraft. He looked so down and depressed and told us it was witchcraft that caused his immobility. He had not been at school for 3 years.
We recommended he go to a different hospital for tests, and he saw Carol for prayer and some counselling. The team tried to point him to God spiritually and good healthcare physically. Now he has a chair he can go to school and it will be easier to find another hospital.
A lovely rainbow was seen this morning, reminding us of God's promises.
- Follow this link to the next blog entry from the Jinja 2022 trip
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Day 3 - Wheels for the World in Jinja, Uganda 2022
We've got an amazing Wheels for the World team hard at work in Jinja, Uganda until the 18th June -- they'll be distributing and fitting wheelchairs to local disabled people with the partnership of our friends at RILD. Here's Rob's update from day 3. We'll post updates as often as data and time allow -- please do pray for the team and recipients over the next week and a bit.
Day 3:
20 people seen today.
Some more complex cases. A very young child who was tiny for her age was assessed. It was easier for her to be carried on her mothers back rather than use a wheelchair. But the team came up with a very creative seating system to help them sit!
Her mother sells tomatoes at a stall with her child, so instead of lying on the ground they can sit up and see the world.
We had another lady who just crawled on the ground. She wants to be a hairdresser and is doing some training for this. Being able to move around at work instead of crawling and re-positioning the plastic chair is key for her job- she is so excited!
Tomorrow it is Sunday, no distribution. But the team will attend Pastor Joseph’s church and have been given an oppertunity to preach the main sermon on disability inclusion, which they are very excited about!
So we look forward to this and to a day of rest.
Thank you all for your prayers.
Also the traditional Wheels for the World Wheelchair race was conducted in good form after the days work. It was a close finish, but good fun for the international and local team to bond and learn how challenge it can be to navigate different terrain in a wheelchair.
- Follow this link to the next blog entry from the Jinja 2022 trip
- Follow this link to the first blog entry from the Jinja 2022 trip
Day 2 - Wheels for the World in Jinja, Uganda 2022
We've got an amazing Wheels for the World team hard at work in Jinja, Uganda until the 18th June -- they'll be distributing and fitting wheelchairs to local disabled people with the partnership of our friends at RILD. Here's Rob's update from day 2. We'll post updates as often as data and time allow -- please do pray for the team and recipients over the next week and a bit.
Day 2:
Around 28 people seen today!
Some lovely episodes of care today by the team.
A young teacher could only afford one crutch after an accident, but the doctor said he needed two. It was worn down by an inch and repaired many times. He was so happy to get two new crutches!
We had a sad case of a young woman who arrived by ambulance! She is currently in hospital after a devastating stroke following a miscarriage. But her family didn't want her to miss a wheelchair. She was unable to move at all. Kathy fitted a tilting chair that means a person can lie flat. Her family were very grateful!
It was a joy to see everyone working so hard.
Thank you all for praying!
- Follow this link to the next blog entry from the Jinja 2022 trip
- Follow this link to the first blog entry from the Jinja 2022 trip
Day 1 - Wheels for the World in Jinja, Uganda 2022
We've got an amazing Wheels for the World team hard at work in Jinja, Uganda until the 18th June -- they'll be distributing and fitting wheelchairs to local disabled people with the partnership of our friends at RILD. We'll post updates as often as data and time allow -- please do pray for the team and recipients over the next week and a bit.
Excellent first day of the Jinga 2022 distribution. 27 people seen, several were ‘roofbreakers’ who are advocates for disability inclusion in the community.
One lady had received an injection at 4 years old that had damaged her sciatic nerve, meaning lifelong mobility problems. Her existing crutches were worn short with excessive use! She was so happy with her new ones!
We had a young man whose family had missed the polio vaccine, leading him to catch polio and lose the use of his legs. He had not had a wheelchair before but walked by pressing his hands on his feet and moving them forward. “We have to find a chair as strong as you are” said the therapist. He was happy with his new chair and began using it well.
Today was mainly getting setup and running. We hope for another long night's sleep to catch up on our missed night and a good busy day tomorrow!
Thank you all for praying!