Bbira Village

 Watoto: Rescue Raise Rebuild

Watoto is a church founded by Gary & Marilyn Skinner, from the USA, now residing in Uganda.
Through them this ministry has evolved.
There are 3 villages in Uganda; 2 in Kampala - Bbira & Suubi and another in Gulu (Northern Uganda). Each village has a number of clusters with about 6-8 houses in each, this mimics a traditional village set-up. There is also a medical clinic, a kindergarten, primary school & secondary school & accommodation for the teachers and nurses.
The children come from all sorts of backgrounds where they have either been horrifically abused, orphaned, abandoned. In northern Uganda they also provide trauma rehabilitation for ex-child soldiers. Children coming into the villages are referred by various agencies or other governmental homes or simply word of mouth. Most of them have transitioned from the babies home (Baby Watoto). The children are placed in a home with a new mother. There is usually 7 children in one home (culturally typical). The mothers are usually woman who are on their own (it is still extremely difficult living for woman who are on their own here) and they apply for the position.
The aim of Watoto is to provide these vulnerable children with physical care, medical intervention(incl HIV/AIDS), education (which includes vocational training), counselling, moral & spiritual discipleship.

 Today I visited Bbira Village where I worked with the special needs team, assessing children with identified speech & language difficulties. Many of the children who have difficulties with their communication will be a result of the years of abuse and neglect. So much of their communication success hinges on their psycho-social needs!
I was really encouraged today at the way the special needs team manage their caseload. Very qualified therapists! However speech therapy is lacking in a HUGE way, apparently only 7 trained therapists for the whole country who service both education and health (hospitals)!
Meeting the team initially, took a little while to break the ice! (as they 'sized' me up & down ;) ) But with my charm and wit, I think I succeeded, despite the overwhelming feeling of being out of my comfort zone! I have not worked with children's language needs since I graduated! But thankfully I found my skills overall intertwined and I slotted in eventually.

Cluster houses

 

Play area

The children I met today were so eager to participate and generally happy and very smiley! The occupational therapist told me many stories of where loads of love, attention and affection produced whole, restored independent individuals who can give back to their community!

Tomorrow I work at Bullrushes - the babies home. I'm very excited to put my pediatric feeding skills to work!