Katalemwa Cheshire Home commemorates Day of the African Child

For 50 years now, Katalemwa Cheshire Home for Rehabilitation Services Uganda (KCH) has upheld the mandate of rehabilitating children with disabilities from the ages of 0 – 18 years.

We have rehabilitated over 500,000 children both at the center and in the community with conditions like hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, club foot, spina bifida, epilepsy, bow legs, knock knees, post burn contractures and other deformities.

We envisage a society where all children and young persons with disabilities realize their full potential and live productive lives.

KCH provides comprehensive quality medical rehabilitation services to children with disabilities like physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nutritional therapy, nursing care, speech therapy, orthopedic care, mental health care and we have an Early Learning Center (ELC) that trains children with learning challenges in activities of daily living (ADLs).

We offer access to plastic, reconstructive orthopedic surgeries for children with disabilities through our partner hospitals and post-operative care is done at our center. Some of our children with disabilities undergoing intensive rehabilitation at our centre in Mpererwe.

60% of the children rehabilitated at our center require assistive devices during and after rehabilitation.

Therefore, KCH has a fully functional orthopedic workshop that designs, fabricates and fits tailor- made appliances and aids for person with disabilities.

A wide number of appliances are produced mainly using locally available raw materials and appropriate technology.

Appliances fabricated include Orthoses (splints/braces) prostheses, mobility aids such as wheel chairs, hand- powered tricycles, walking frames, callipers, crutches, orthopaedic shoes/polio boots and special sitting/standing aids like CP chairs, corner sits and standing frames.

The workshop also produces other therapeutic equipment such as parallel bars, therapy mirrors and mats. KCH uses the Community Based Inclusive Development (CBID) approach to take services nearer to children with disabilities and empowers communities to take responsibility of rehabilitating these children.

We conduct activities like outreach clinics, Home based care, economic empowerment and capacity building for disability management and advocacy purposes.

We have been able to reach out to districts like Wakiso, Buikwe, Kiryandongo, Kayunga, Kamapala, Masaka, Rakai, Lwengo, Kyotera, Masindi, Mityana, Mubende,Kiboga, Kalungu Mpigi, Luwero, Nakasongola, Abim, Mbale, Manafwa among others.

Grace was born to a teenage mother and she didn't have a limb. through our orthopedic workshop, we fabricated an artificial limb for her to improve her mobility and participation. We recognize that education is vital to the transformation of any community and that quality education is every child’s right.

And Inclusive education creates a platform for the needs of children with disabilities to be identified and addressed.

At the center children with disabilities undergoing intensive rehabilitation access education through the Catch-up class so that they don’t miss out on learning at school.

Under our child empowerment programme, we support children with disabilities to access mainstream and special needs schools facilitating them with school fees, scholastic materials and create an enabling environment.

Poverty is more prevalent among families of children with disabilities as rehabilitation is costly and not affordable by many.

Therefore, Katalemwa empowers youth with disabilities and their families through trainings in entrepreneurial and enterprise development, financial management, tailoring, craft making and other income generating activities to enable them generate household income.

Katalemwa Cheshire Home also advocates for the plight of children with disabilities to reduce stigma and discrimination of these children.

We work closely with right’s holders to advance different causes that affect our CWDS and stakeholders ranging from civil society, companies, parents of children with disabilities and individuals to support our children with disabilities.

With all these interventions, Katalemwa has improved functionality, participation, independence, confidence and acceptance of vulnerable children with disabilities of Uganda.

We pledge to continue reaching out to the more vulnerable communities of this country and enable our children with disabilities live admirable and meaningful lives.

Happy Day of the African Child