Success story of Namata Nowerina aged 52yrs a female Ugandan, muganda

My name is Namata Nowerina aged 52yrs a female Ugandan, muganda by tribe and a catholic residing in Kikokiro, Wakiso town council in Wakiso district. I was born Mabombwe Wakiso District, with 8 siblings 2 brothers and 6 sisters of which three are deceased. My mother is still alive but my father is late. My highest education level is P.2 (primary two) and it is this low because it was during 1980’s war that there was no permanent settlement for us alongside lack of enough funds to facilitate me and my siblings in school. Iam married to Mr Muwonge Chrisistom aged 55yrs; we have had eight children , 1girl and 7 boys namely as in their birth order kasozi Edward who died at 30years, Nsamba joseph also died of malaria, Bukenya who died of measles, Matovu Julius alive 25years old and selling charcoal, Mulindwa Joseph alive 19years old and unemployed, Nakanwagi Maria alive 13years old a sickler who is in P.3 (primary three), Muwonge Jonathan alive and also a sickler of 9years old who is in P.2 (primary two) and the last one was born dead. About my children with sickle cell disease, we found out after diagnosis at Mulago National referral Hospital following their critical sickness which involved swelling of the bums as for Nakanwagi Maria and the hands as for Muwonge Jonathan while at age 7years and 6years respectively.

Since their diagnosis, they have experienced agony of unlimited sicknesses, anaemic attacks, body pains which drained my pocket. I used to experience social discrimination and my children because of the disease and lost hope especially when my husband fell and broke his back in 2018 when he fell during construction because he was a builder and has not resumed work since then. I lost all the hope; because I could no longer afford to sustain my children in school and rent, which resulted into self-isolation, self-denial which affected my family. Due to the stigma that the community attached to sickle cell disease, my children were not allowed to freely play/associate with others, discriminated at school by teachers as well as their fellow pupils….this broke my heart, every time especially my daughter who used to come back home crying and lamenting on how she was ill-treated because of her condition for instance being skinny, sickly hence regretting/cursing life. She used to make sad statements like “why me” especially during attacks and starvation which used to break my heart. Another thing that used to hurt me was the fact that I was not able to get medicine for the children and fully cater for my family accordingly. I started washing clothes for people in the community for survival and sometimes I would still fail to provide food and medicine co-currently and so I had to resort to herbals instead of biomedical treatment which sometimes never helped.

In 2022, I was introduced to Friends of Sicklers foundation Uganda (FSFU) by a friend of mine named Kalungi who had heard about friends of sickler’s foundation Uganda, he told me about the organisation but I never welcomed the idea because at first I had developed self-hatred, isolation and furiousness depending on the situation I was in and at this point I had lost all hope. Few weeks later the field officer named Henry from the microcredit program came back to me and explained more about friends of sickler’s foundation Uganda and the Microcredit program in particular. We discussed a number of issues within which I was able to disclose my whole story to him including the reason as to why I had hesitated to join the program initially because I was not working and therefore the little I was earning could not enable me to provide for my family accordingly. The money I was getting from washing people’s clothes was literally not enough to enable me cater for my family and have surplus for saving that sometimes we had to starve. This kind of situation and the responsibility attached to the poor me could not save even as small as 5000UGX (1.4USD) a month. Henry encouraged, counselled, and advised that I was able to get back on my feet with his touching and wise words. I told him as I cried that “I wish someone could give me at least 50,000UGX (14USD) to use as capital, this would push me far financially”. This amazed Henry who was prompted to ask what the 50,000UGX (14USD) would do for me to which I responded desperately that “a small stall of fruits maybe! Henry considering my situation advised me to join the microcredit program under friends of sicklers’ foundation Uganda. He sensitised me about the micro credit programs and how it works. To my surprise Henry trusted and recommended me to the FSFU Team for a loan of 250,000UGX (70USD) with a very minimum interest of 2% per month for six months. And after I was given the loan, Henry encouraged me to start saving after setting my business. With this capital I was able to buy fruits and vegetables from farmers and took them to Kasubi market. The profits would have been good from the sales but it was affected by different factors. 1. I didn’t have a permanent stall for my sales. 2. The tax collectors from the city council were demanding much money as tax from my sales. Since I didn’t have a permanent stall, I requested Henry to pardon me for the third instalment so that I could use that instalment to complete payment for the stall which costed me 70000UGX (20USD). After paying for the stall, I worked so hard that I resumed repayment of my loan. Since I had managed to acquire a permanent stall, I was able to start saving at least 5000UGX (1.4USD) per week. For this very reason I truly appreciate Henry and his team for helping me get back to my feet.

Besides this one on one encounter, meeting fellow parents also made wonders.

When we met as parents/caretakers of children with sickle cells at the organisation for our workshops, we used to discuss a lot of issues comfortably and openly because we were in the same situation. We cried, laughed, lamented, complained and expressed ourselves in any way possible. This helped us or me in particular to realise that I was not alone in this journey but rather many other people especially mothers were facing the same challenges. During these discussions we felt welcome, family and not judged. From here I was able to free my mind and learnt how to deal with the stigma in the community through self-acceptance and love regardless. I also learnt the right way to respond to my children’s complaints of discriminations at school and in community and since then am a better person regardless of the challenges/issues that I deal with.

The home visits were significant because every time the team from the organisation visited us, we interpreted that as hope, love, concern and suddenly time of real expression. They chatted, counselled and guided us as parents and the children alongside stuff like food, seedlings, and vegetables that they brought for us among others accordingly.

Later in 2024, after managing to pay my 250,000UGX (70USD) loan, I applied for 300,000UGX (83USD) which was approved by the micro-credit program Team. This was intended to increase my capital with more stock which was definitely achieved. My load has been lightened by the donations the

organization makes, scholastic materials, medicine, clothes occasionally among other benefits. Of recent, they also introduced medication and treatment of our children with sickle cell disease for free of charge. This is amazing!.Am now paying my loan while taking care of my sick mother who was brought to me a few months ago plus my husband whose back broke years ago and can’t do anything to provide for the family. I am the bread winner for my family still but this time with support from the Friends of sickler’s foundation Uganda.

All thanks to Friends of sicklers Foundation Uganda and the team for their support of all kinds.