It is hard to believe that I have been in Uganda for almost two weeks now...the time has really flown. Three days a week (Monday to Wednesday) I have been at the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Uganda.  They work with children who have a variety of disabilities. It is an exciting experience in being able to have the outreach experience of going into different villages to work with families of children with disabilities. We have been welcomed in as students to be part of the team where we have a chance to give our feedback in looking at the medical and social challenges that are around each child.
Michell and I will be looking at cases and asked to pick a case to present to the rest of the staff and then we discuss it..a great opportunity in public speaking skills, working as a team and problem-solving.

The Centres Vision is that they envision a society with disability inclusive environment that upholds children with disabilities rights.  Their mission is the Promotion of disability rehabilitation and protection of children with disabilities through research, information sharing, advocacy, capacity building and direct service delivery using Community-based Rehabilitation/dHome-based care approaches. (from the centre's website, www.cdruganda.org)

This is an exciting opportunity for me to be having practice as a community rehabilitation worker and for Michell in social service work. Edrine who is the national director and who is very much a mentor and guide for us in our learnig process, mentioned that he hopes in four to five years for the program to be completely parent run.  Every Tuesday, when the children who have a variety of disabilities come to the centre, the parents gather in another room to discuss ways to mobilize together to generate income and to provide support for each other.  Last week they were discussing about group dynamics and mentioned a variety of ways to generate income together....community garden, cooking, sewing, etc.

On Thursday and Fridays, Michell and I are tutoring Carli's kids with mostly English and some Math. Once they all go back to school in mid-May, Carli, Michell and I will be going into the neighbourhood and developing relationships with street children..this is a project that we will most likely be engaged with for the remaining  weeks we are here.