Airtel Uganda through its ‘Together We Can’ initiative, has today fulfilled the promise to provide support to Mary Kabiito who takes care of children with special needs in Kakunyu village, Masaka district.
Mary Kabiito, a mother of seven children – four of them having physical and mental disabilities- was featured on Airtel’s ‘Together We Can’ TV series and was applauded for quitting her job to take care of children with special needs. She has been taking care of these children since 2005 and is currently taking care of close to 40 children at her home and another 190 pupils in a school that she opened up in her community.
“Taking care of these children has been a challenge because we face difficulties such as lack of mobility equipment for the disabled children, lack of electricity, food shortages, insecurity, pneumonia outbreaks due to inadequate beddings, epilepsy and many other problems,” explains Mary.
Airtel Uganda, through its ‘Together We Can’ initiative along with its staff members offered to assist Mary and have been able to refurbish Mary Kabiito’s home as well as donate a range of things including beddings (mattresses, blankets and bed sheets), wheel chairs, clutches for the disabled children, a solar system to help with the problem of electricity and a car to solve the very urgent transportation problem.
Speaking at the handover of the equipment, Airtel Uganda Managing Director Mr. Tom Gutjahr said, “Through our Together We Can initiative, we have been able to change some of the lives of the people in the communities we operate in. We believe that the well-being of these children starts with us. I would like to recognize and applaud the works and efforts of Mary Kabiito in trying to help the children.”
“There are many Ugandans doing so much to positively change the lives of other people mainly our young generation and Airtel Uganda is out to find them and grant them one wish that will change their lives and enable them to continue helping others,” he added.
This is not the first time Airtel Uganda is reaching out to an individual who is working hard to better the community. Last year, Airtel Uganda, under the ‘Together We Can’ initiative visited an elderly lady named Jjajja Flora and handed her a newly built and furnished house located in Kiira town in Kampala district.
Together We Can is a 52-part TV show that explores a range of issues currently facing many Ugandans, including poverty, health, education and selfless service. Each story that is being showcased on the series ends with the ultimate celebration of these Ugandan heroes when Airtel awards them with prizes that enable them to fulfill their dreams of helping others.