Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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New Vision - February 1, 2005
Sarah Muwanga
SHE is humble, perhaps too humble for her role. At first sight, you may think she is just another catholic woman. But when you hear her story, you realise behind her softness is a unique, courageous and hardworking woman.
Nowelina Namukisa caters for a 'family' of over 2,000, they include people living with HIV/AIDs (PLWAs). This family is bound by an organisation called Meeting Point Kampala (MPKLA). Started in 1994 by Namukisa and a friend called Rose, the group has expanded from Namuwongo to cover Makindye division.
This believer, whose surname (Namukisa) means 'luck', says her work started as a leisure activity. She says, "I'm a member of a catholic movement called "Christ is Communion and Life" (CCL), where we share about our lives and also visit the sick. With the onset of the HIV/AIDS scourge, I saw people living with AIDS being mistreated by their relatives".
A story is about a mother, who would not touch the cup used to feed her 26-year-old sick daughter. She had a banana fibre tied to the handle and using a stick, she would hang it on a nail. She made the daughter use the dirty cup several times before throwing it away and buying a new one.
"Many patients were given little food, like that of a child, as caretakers feared to clear the diarrhoea. Many were not being bathed, they were isolated and died lonely," Namukisa says. From this misery, she developed the urge to give them special attention. She did not have the money, but was determined to give them a decent life.
Without gloves, she bathed the sick women, especially the bedridden ones, washed their beddings and feeding utensils. She spared some of the food she cooked at home for some patients. The relatives started to refer to the patients as Nowelina's patients. "Omulwadde wo kati asuuse", relatives would tell her on the next visit meaning "Your patient is recovering." Both patients and the caretakers started waiting for her next visit. They referred to her as a mother and saviour.
"The love and care I gave to the patients greatly changed their lives. The caretakers' attitudes too changed. They started paying more attention to the patients. I invited some of the patients to our meetings in the CCL and as we shared our needs, problems and sufferings, we developed a desire to help each other as people belonging to one family," Namukisa says.
An Italian priest, Fr Petero Tibon, who Namukisa occasionally invited to pray for PLWAs realised the great job she was doing and started soliciting for help from fellow Italians. Up to now, Namukisa says, most of the funds used in MPKLA come from Italy.
MPKLA was registered as an NGO in 1997. Today, MPKLA caters for 1,208 PLWAs.
The organisation is implementing a distant support programme with funds from private donors and International NGOs like AVSI.
Through the programme, the organisation offers scholarships to children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Namuwongo. There are 967 children studying under the organisation's sponsorship. Another 430 orphans get informal education at the organisation's learning centre.
Namukisa has won the admiration of The Uganda AIDS Commission. A certificate of recognition from the commission hangs on a wall at the reception of Meeting Point headquarters on Plot 125 on Bukasa Road in Namuwongo village, Makindye division in Kampala. The activities of the organisation have enabled members to put behind them the havoc HIV/AIDS has wrecked in people's lives.
Maria Ayinkamanyire, a resident of Namuwongo zone A, says when her husband died in 1989, her life was torn apart. "I was left with six children in a rented room. When Mama Namukisa called on women to join MPKLA to learn how to read and write, I was one of the first women to use the opportunity. I have put the misery behind me and I have a house and two plots, where I grow yams that I sell in the market in Makindye."
MPKLA provides special care for families, offers counselling services and social, spiritual and psychological support to people by keeping in contact with them. The organisation offers vocational training.
it also holds seminars to create awareness on AIDS and its consequences and also trains counsellors and volunteers to take care of persons living with AIDS.
"We started a special project for women after realising AIDS impacts on them most. Kyamusa Obwongo Women Project has helped to improve the situation of women and girls.
Some of their activities include adult literacy classes, training in crafts, micro credit and promotion of income generating activities," Namukisa says.
Some of the orphans live in a foster home at the headquarters, while others stay at her home.
"I live with eight orphans and I have eight biological children. My home and office are always full of people who come seeking guidance, counselling and, financial moral support.
"At times, I feel worn out, but the love I have for my family, MPKLA, keeps me going. My husband, Patrick Anguzu, is an understanding person and we work together," she says.
Nowelina's experiences in the fight for the dignity of PLWAs are many. However the important issue she would like to emphasise is relatives of PLWAs, who get help from NGOs should not withdraw their responsibility."
When an NGO starts supporting a sick person, the relatives stand aside and expect everything from the NGO, even families capable of providing for their patients will leave everything to the NGO. People need to know we cannot do everything. We need to share the responsibility," Nowelina says.
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