Food is a basic human right, and it is essential for the well-being of all individuals, regardless of their abilities, said Kyozira Esther, the CEO of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) while giving out food to children with disabilities at Mukono district headquarters on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
NUDIPU is commemorating Advocacy Day, under the theme “Food Security for All, Regardless of Ability”.
“At NUDIPU, we understand the profound connection between food security and the capacity to learn, especially for children with disabilities. It is with this in mind that we have come together to offer these food items to schools that are providing learning opportunities for children with disabilities,” said Kyozira.
She said her gesture was also a call to amplify the importance of food security in ensuring that every child, regardless of ability, has access to the nourishment they need to thrive.
“As we all know, food plays a crucial role in the development of the mind and body, and this is no less true for children with disabilities. Therefore, we must work together to ensure that no child is left behind.”
She said the donated food items were collected and generously contributed by well-wishers who believe in the cause of inclusive education.
“We hope that through this small act of support, we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of these children.”
She implored the Mukono Resident District (RDC) Hassan Kasibante to become a champion for the cause, advocating for government action to ensure that all persons with disabilities have access to food security, are included in food production efforts, and that schools serving children with disabilities are adequately supported to provide food to their students.
Speaking as the chief guest, RDC Kasibante cautioned parents who are hiding children with disabilities in their homes and stopping them from going to school.
“We have heard that some parents are also starving these children yet they also have a right to food and education. We will arrest such parents,” warned Kasibante.
He thanked NUDIPU for donating the food items which included rice, posho, sugar, etc to feed children with disabilities.
Godfrey Nkunda, the Chairperson Council for Disability and member of Mukono District Union, appreciated NUDIPU for training counselors and teachers from the district to the sub-county level.
“We are ensuring that children with disabilities go to school. We need outreaches to go to the villages and look for these children because they are our insurance as parents and as a country,” said Nkunda.
According to a 2020 World Bank Factsheet on Special Needs Education in Uganda, about 16% of Ugandan children have a disability, suggesting that most children with disabilities are not able to attend school and that learners with special needs fail to transition from one educational level to another. Only 5 percent of children with disabilities can access education through Inclusive Schools and 10% through special schools (UNICEF, 2014).
According to the Ministry of Education and Sports (2017), some 9,597 pupils enrolled in pre-primary schools (1.6%) have impairments. The majority were children with ‘mental impairment’ (28%) followed by ‘hearing impairments’ (25%), ‘visual impairment’ (22%), ‘physical impairment’ (16%), ‘autism’ (5%) and ‘multiple handicaps-deaf and blind’ (4%).
There are 172,864 children with special needs in primary schools, which is 2.0% of total primary-level enrollment and 9% of the overall children with special needs. Out of 1,370,583 students enrolled in a secondary school in Uganda, 8,945 students (0.6%) have special learning needs.
