Ddiba putting smiles on faces of homeless children in Kayunga

At just 28, Joseph Ddiba is not about having fan but rather helping the young ones change their lives. For the last five years, Ddiba has been looking after former street children, poor families and orphans.
Starting charity work
He channels his assistance through BaNgaAfayo Initiative Uganda, a charity organization he registered in 2013.
During his time at the university, his mother who was staying in Kayunga told Ddiba about a teenage boy who was malnourished. He says he asked his mother to adopt the kid so they take care of him amid personal challenges.

“I asked my mother to adopt the boy as I help take care of him and before I knew, many people started coming to me for help and they became too many for my mother’s home,” he says, adding that it was then he decided to rent a small house where he looks after the children.
When their number started growing, with no other person willing to support him, Ddiba decided to register the organization as BaNgaAfayo Initiative Uganda.

How it was starting out
Before getting funders, Ddiba used to get money from his company called World Class Technology (WCT), a website hosting and designing company. “I decided to design as many websites as possible in order to raise enough funds to help the children,” he says.
He notes that his mother who had also adopted two kids supported his charity work financially.

With the funding from his mother and friends, Ddiba started a charity home.
“Things only changed after 2013 when the initiative was registered and funders started sending in their contribution towards helping the cause” Ddiba says.

He boasts of up to more than 200 funders, some of whom have pulled out.
What Ddiba says he does for these children is getting them proper nutrition, clothing, accommodation and school.
The number of Children in BaNgaAfayo
Over the years, the number of children he takes care of has grown tremendously with some of the cases being of children dropped at the organization in the middle of the night.

“We are currently taking care of 52 children with two (twins) aged 8 months and the eldest is 14 years and is in senior two. These children are taken care of by three mothers and widows who are just volunteering with the organization” Ddiba narrates.
When the number raised to 52 children, he moved to a bigger house which he rented in Kayunga district although he has started the construction of a home in Kayunga that will house more than the 52 children and by mid next year.

Schools
Except the toddlers, all the children in the foundation are in schools around Kayunga and they partnered with four primary schools and one secondary school which they pay school fees at a subsidized fee.
“Schools around Kayunga have offered as lower amount of school fees as compared to the other students and it has helped to make it affordable so as to keep all the children in school” Ddiba says.

Challenges
Some of the challenges that Ddiba says the foundation faces are shortage of beddings and clothing. “We need more funding to take care of the children since they are very many in number” Ddiba says, adding that the children also fall sick and it is costly when it comes to availing them medical attention.

Local funding
Ddiba says local funders are not reliable. “We have tried to get into partnership with local companies through their CSR programmes to donate to BaNgaAfayo Initiative but we have never seen any positive results although our hopes are still high that one day we shall get help from them. Ddiba believes that charity comes from ones heart and he doesn’t believe in those who do charity for showbiz or to show off in the camera in regards to being famous.

Who is Joseph Ddiba
Joseph Ddiba is a humble man with a Christian background. He was born 28 years ago in Luwero District to Mr David Mubeezi and Mrs Sarah Mbawadde. Ddiba attended school at Wobulenzi Parents and Kira College Butiki in Jinja for both O’ and A’level before joining Nkumba University for a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. Ddiba’s love for charity started at the University when he was part of the Rotary Club of Kampala Ssese. It was during that time when he chose to also do charity thus starting his own organization.

Team Members :

Maria Rinah Namtovu (Manager for individual giving)

Sylvia Samali Mbabazi (Child Sponsorship Manager)

Norman Kushaba (Child Sponsorship Manager)

Debrah Nabunya (Community Coordinator

[email protected]