In Nakaseke grapples with high number of PWDs, Ugandan filmmaker Suhail Mugabi turns a spotlight on a community confronting disability in multiple forms. The short film sits within the Focus on Ability programme as a thoughtful, on-the-ground piece about what it means to live, learn and advocate where resources and attitudes are under strain. Viewers will encounter themes of advocacy, schooling, bullying, mental illness, intellectual and physical disability across age groups. The film offers a quiet invitation to listen to community voices and consider practical and social responses, while highlighting why disability awareness remains essential in local and global conversations.
It is a dusty and bumpy 17 km drive from Luwero town to Chuoco town council located in Nakaseke district. This is Kasana village and this is the meeting point for people with disabilities in Chuoco town council. The people and children with disabilities often gather here to share a cup of porridge and bread with hopes of finding a solution to their problems. They are often mobilized by members of a local organization known as Hope Always. Most of the children here suffer from different complications and multiple disabilities ranging from mental illness to physical disabilities and hearing and sight impairments. Juliet Nakaseke is a 40 year old single mother who has suffered to look after her 10 year old daughter Florence Naiga who is mentally ill. Florence's mental illness was realized when she was just 4 months. When I look for a place to hang out, usually I find a place to sleep in the hut or another cozy place to hang out, a place where one can rest and relax. But as life becomes hard once we become adults, it becomes hard to take care of girls like I do. That's why I am now seeing new children every year Another complicated case is that of little Jeremiah Mwangi, who is three years old but looks like a six months old infant. Little Jerry was born with weak bones and a compromised immune system. He can neither sit unaided nor stand at his age. The mother of this frail child who does some farming to support the child says that she has for long sought means to take care of her baby but in vain. I don't have any means to take care of my baby. I don't have any means to take care of my child. I don't have any means to take care of my child. Nakaseke district is one of the districts with the biggest number of people with disabilities in Uganda and most of these people live in abject poverty with little or no help at all. Most of them have similar experiences, be it adult or child. Is your cancer going to end? No. I am not going to eat. Do you eat? No. I don't know when I will have to give birth I know nothing.. We were searching everywhere, trouver demains. First because when the elderly women know their kid can't walk we were searching for a place to give birth. We were looking for a place to give birth.. We were looking for a place where we can go and give birth. We were looking for a place where we can go and give birth. Chukotown council will be the venue for this years national celebrations on the international day of people with disabilities and the town's mayor is quite optimistic that hosting the event in Nakaseke will help Uganda and the rest of the world understand what the district is trying to deal with considering the rising number of people with disabilities. People are going to learn more about the disabilities awareness because some people were a bit reluctant they never knew actually what they are supposed to do to boost the awareness of such a people. You find that at certain places when it comes to getting jobs such a people are eliminated. Local organizations are pushing for the construction of the Ugandan center for people with disabilities in Nakaseke district and they hope this will be a step forward in helping the people with disabilities in the whole of Uganda. They have already acquired four acres of land for the project. If we can have these children in a setting it will be a little bit cheaper than transporting these children every other day taking them, bringing them to school, taking them, bringing them for rehabilitation taking them, it's really so so so expensive. And again, we think that if these children come together and they get to see each other they tend to live in a very isolated environment. They are now hoping to partner with other organizations to help disabled children in the country. The government of Uganda under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and the Nakaseke district leadership are championing this year's celebrations in Uganda. The day is observed worldwide to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. Suheil Mugavi, NTV, Nakaseke district.
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Nakaseke grapples with high number of PWDs by Suhail Mugabi (2023)
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by Suhail Mugabi - INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARIES
