Child Care Foundation

As we celebrate today’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we must pause and confront a painful truth that too often remains hidden in silence. While the world marks this day with speeches, hashtags, and well-meaning messages, many persons with disabilities are fighting battles that unfold quietly in the darkest corners of our communities  especially battles of neglect, abuse, abandonment, and deep injustice. For them, the night does not bring rest; it brings fear.

In Uganda today, many women and girls live in the shadows of fear, some in their own homes, some in their communities. For women and girls with disabilities, the risks are even higher: ignored, silenced and often invisible, they face violence that leaves deep scars on their lives. Long-held cultural practices continue to enable abuse, making the fight for safety and dignity more urgent than ever.

In Uganda, children’s futures are shaped by the care, guidance, and support they receive. While some children laugh and thrive, others face challenges due to limited emotional, educational, and financial support—reminding us how vital every act of care and attention can be in shaping a child’s life. Discover how we’re helping children in Eastern Uganda overcome these challenges here and how you can make a difference 

In many vulnerable communities, poverty pushes girls out of school and into early marriages. Young mothers are left raising children without support, and many eventually become single mothers trapped in the same cycle they grew up in.

For more than ten years, Shamimu lived in silence  trapped in an abusive marriage that stole her laughter, her peace, and her confidence. Every day was a battle she faced quietly, hoping that somehow things would get better. But they never did.

Every visit to a clinic should be simple but for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Uganda, it remains a battle. Healthcare is not equally accessible: PWDs face long waits, inaccessible facilities, and limited specialized care.

In most regions of Uganda, especially in the Eastern districts like Jinja, Mayuge, and Iganga, education remains a daily battle for survival. Many schools exist only in name without proper classrooms, desks, or learning materials. Children gather under the shade of trees, balancing their books on their knees or on the dusty ground. In some areas, there are no benches to sit on, no chalk to write with, and sometimes only one teacher is available to handle multiple classes at once.

Sarah was only four years old when she first came into our care. Curious, nervous and full of dreams, she longed to become a nurse  to help others, the way she wished someone could help her. But life had other plans.

Education is the cornerstone of empowerment. Girls and women must have equal access to learning opportunities, free from cultural bias or financial constraints. Denying education limits personal growth and prevents societies from benefiting from women’s talents and ideas.

In communities across Eastern Uganda, clean water is more than a necessity it’s a lifeline. Every day, children and mothers walk long distances under the sun, searching for a single jerrycan of water. What should be a simple act of turning on a tap becomes a daily struggle that robs families of time, health, and hope

In Uganda, persons with disabilities often face daily struggles that go unseen, poverty, stigma, and limited opportunities make even basic survival a challenge. Yet amidst these challenges, stories of zeal and empowerment emerge and one such story is that of Kigenyi Rashid.

"I always put my children first even when my health suffers, because that’s what mothers do,” says Nabawanuka , a mother of three in Uganda.