Advocating For Children With Disabilities

In 1976, thousands of black school children took to the streets of Soweto, South Africa. In a march more than half a mile long, they protested the inferior quality of their education and demanded their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young boys and girls were shot down by security forces. In the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand were injured.

To honour the memory of those killed and the courage of all those who marched, the Day of the African Child has been celebrated on 16 June every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union).

This year the Day also draws attention to the lives of African children today. The theme for this year’s event is “The Rights of Children with Disabilities: The Duty to Protect, Respect, Promote and Fulfill.” It was chosen by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child because, according to their statement, “children with disabilities are generally hidden in Africa, and therefore their plight is often ignored and disregarded in national policies and legislation.”

June 16 encourages our spirit of abundance to share something special with a child in Africa. We don’t have to be in Africa to do it, and we’re not limited to June 16. 🙂

Read this story here.

Would you rather be a hero or martyr?

This has been a week of National holidays here in Uganda. On Sunday 3rd June, we celebrated Uganda Martyrs Day and today we are celebrating Heroes Day.

Out of curiosity, I tried to find the difference between the two words. Hero or Martyr? Here are few answers I found.

1. A hero takes charge and leads people to victory. A martyr loses his life in defense of his beliefs.

2. The term martyr (Greek μάρτυς martys “witness”) is most commonly used today to describe an individual who sacrifices their life (or personal freedom) in order to further a cause or belief for many. Hero (male) and heroine (female) came to refer to characters (fictional or historical) that, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice – that is, heroism – for some greater good, originally of martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence.
Stories of heroism may serve as moral examples

3. A hero is the one who does something rather extraordinary or outstanding to achieve a noble cause, like saving people’s life. A martyr is the one who pays the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the noble cause.

4. A martyr can be a hero, but a hero not necessary is a martyr. For example Constantine XI was a hero and a martyr but Augustus was a hero, he didn’t die for a cause.

Happy Heroes Day

 

In preparation for Uganda Martyrs Day

As we commemorate Martyrs Day this year, my humble prayer is that this should be a time for reflection and renewed commitment to causes we are committed to. The virtues for which the martyrs stood is an inspiration to all humanity. In many ways, the seed of faith sown by shedding blood has in the history of Uganda sprouted unprecedented development. Most families whose parents are religious converts have over time nurtured great leaders of our times. The commitment and discipline that came with religious conversion although once viewed as rebellious, because converts did not adhere to the cultural norms, gave birth to the education of both the boy and girl child. It gave birth to a brotherhood grounded in shared belief and thus provided and still provides a safety net for the faithful.

Rather than deter the growth of Christianity, the martyrdom of these early believers seems to have sparked its growth instead. As has been observed in many other instances, the blood of the martyrs proved to be the seed of faith. Christianity (in its various flavors) is now the dominant faith in Buganda and Uganda as a whole. The 22 known Catholic martyrs were declared “Blessed” by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. This is one of the key steps in the catholic tradition that eventually leads to canonization. The 22 Catholic martyrs were indeed canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 18, 1964; during the Vatican II conference. Thus these martyrs were now recognized by the universal church as being worthy of being honored as Saints. This was a first for modern Africa and a source of pride throughout the continent.

Here is the touching story of the Namugongo Holocaust.

In preparation for Uganda Martyrs Day

As we commemorate Martyrs Day this year, my humble prayer is that this should be a time for reflection and renewed commitment to causes we are committed to. The virtues for which the martyrs stood is an inspiration to all humanity. In many ways, the seed of faith sown by shedding blood has in the history of Uganda sprouted unprecedented development. Most families whose parents are religious converts have over time nurtured great leaders of our times. The commitment and discipline that came with religious conversion although once viewed as rebellious, because converts did not adhere to the cultural norms, gave birth to the education of both the boy and girl child. It gave birth to a brotherhood grounded in shared belief and thus provided and still provides a safety net for the faithful.

Rather than deter the growth of Christianity, the martyrdom of these early believers seems to have sparked its growth instead. As has been observed in many other instances, the blood of the martyrs proved to be the seed of faith. Christianity (in its various flavors) is now the dominant faith in Buganda and Uganda as a whole. The 22 known Catholic martyrs were declared “Blessed” by Pope Benedict XV in 1920. This is one of the key steps in the catholic tradition that eventually leads to canonization. The 22 Catholic martyrs were indeed canonized by Pope Paul VI on October 18, 1964; during the Vatican II conference. Thus these martyrs were now recognized by the universal church as being worthy of being honored as Saints. This was a first for modern Africa and a source of pride throughout the continent.

Here is the touching story of the Namugongo Holocaust.