In our latest article: ‘Small miracles grow in the shade of mango trees’, FCA Uganda’s Linda Kabuzire wrote about the work we do supporting children with disabilities and their families. Here, Linda writes more about the background to the story.

During my visit to the Mubende district in Uganda, I heard deeply disturbing stories. Unfortunately, these were not isolated incidents.

Mothers spoke quietly about what happened in their families when their children were born with severe disabilities. For some fathers, their child’s disability did not elicit concern or care, but rejection. In extreme cases, the news led to abandonment or threats of death.

One mother told me: “When my husband saw the child, he said that this baby would only bring suffering. He wanted me to leave the child somewhere and forget about him.”

Another said her husband had told her that the family was too poor. They couldn’t afford to care for a disabled child.

These stories have been shaped by poverty, misinformation, fear, and deep-rooted stigma associated with disability.

In Mubende, men live off small, irregular, and occasional jobs. They make bricks or work as motorcycle taxi drivers. Women work long days on vegetable farms.

When income is uncertain and medical expenses seem impossible to cover, disability is often interpreted as a curse or punishment on the family. A disabled child then feels like an unbearable burden.

One mother said, “My husband doesn’t have a job. When we found out how much money our neighbor spent on caring for their child who was born with a disability, we knew we couldn’t cope.”

Disabled children in Mubende often go without medical care. They are hidden away in their homes or excluded from school, which should be their right. These children are neglected, stigmatized, and discriminated against.

The families of Mubende do not need blame, but rather economic, social, and medical support. When families feel powerless, fear fills a space that should be filled with hope.

FCA supports families with disabled children in Mubende in two ways. We support children’s access to the health services they need. One mother, whose child had been considered a hopeless case, said that her child is now able to walk to school on their own. This has had a life-changing impact.

On the other hand, families with disabled children also need support in obtaining sufficient income. A better financial situation creates confidence in coping.

When parents, especially fathers, have work, information, and support, having a disabled child is no longer seen as a life-defining event.

The stories of Mubende are painful, but they also remind us of what is possible when communities, families, and support systems come together. No child should be hidden, neglected, or abandoned because of a disability. No mother should be forced to choose between her marriage and the life of her child.