Light at the end of the tunnel for twins

A set of Kaberamaido twins and their brother, who have been living in deplorable conditions captured by this publication, can now heave a sigh of relief.

A dead village that we saw when we first visited Acyekitoyo Village, Kaga Parish, Ochero Sub-county last week to tell the story of Aaron Opio,7, Doreen Acen,7, and Denis Eriku,9, had on Tuesday undergone a sea change.

The goodwill gestures that greeted the plight of the destitute family left the children and their mother—Ms Christine Asege—overwhelmed.

At the stroke of midnight on Wednesday, contributions from our readers had reached Shs3m. We used part of the money to buy three mattresses, four blankets, 75kgs of maize flour, (posho) and a box of soap. Other items purchased included 25kgs of beans, 3kgs of sugar, salt, saucepans, basins, jerrycans, a bucket, and onions.

The money was also used to construct a new grass-thatched hut at Shs200,000.

The hut should be ready in the next few days as should a pit-latrine whose construction has taken up Shs120,000. Shs50,000 was also set aside to buy the children new clothes. This left us with a balance of Shs1,750,000, which we are holding in trust for the children.

Mr Emmanuel Aliga, a community member who tipped this newspaper about the destitute family, said of the children thus: “If promises that have been made are honoured, they will have a decent education too.”

Mr Richard Orech, a neighbour of the destitute family, who has been employed to put up the new grass-thatched hut, asked God to bless the hands of people who have in one way or the other contributed to better the destitute family.

“The elder boy, Eriku, has been my herder, but I have never wished it to be that way,” he revealed, adding that nine-year-old Eriku offered to work for him “to fend for his little siblings.”

Besides the financial help channeled in, a couple of individuals and organisations have offered to educate the twins.

One Nairobi-based reader, who only identified herself as Ms Wafula, said she is willing to sponsor the children’s education in a boarding school in Kampala. Another well-wisher from the United Kingdom promised to construct for the children a permanent structure if the ownership of the piece of land they stay on is theirs. Mr Brian Yesigye of Bravo shoes, a community support organisation based in Kampala, said the company intends to enter a memorandum of understanding with Kaberamaido district local government.

“We shall have them in school in Kampala, but during holidays, they will often be returning to their village,” he revealed, adding, “We shall not want to distance them from their roots.”

World Vision Uganda, Soroti office, has also offered to reach out to the children in person for a possible education sponsorship, among other scores of individual promises.

To reach the kids to offer support, contact our reporter, Simon Peter Emwamu through [email protected], [email protected].

or +256 758 565809. Those with things they would like to donate to the family can bring them to Monitor Publications Ltd  headquarters on 8th Street, Industrial Area, Kampala.