Masaka Disabled Persons Association (MADIPA)

Organization overview

MADIPA is a registered CBO (Community Based Organisation) and an association of people with disabilities formed with the purpose of mobilising the resources required for self-employment. Since 2001 we have been operating as an association and we currently have 160 members. We have a Board of Governors which is the supreme body of the association, it does the strategic planning and managing the association. It also monitors the implementation and reports to all relevant organs of the association.

Our aims are:

To advocate on the behalf young persons with disabilities and to support them to become productive to themselves and their respective communities.
To provide opportunities for young people with disabilities to exploit their skills to generate income for their social and economic well being
To advocate and bargain for formulation and implementation of inclusive policies to achieve inclusive benefits and equality of all the able bodied and those with disabilities.
To advocate on behalf of young people with disabilities.
To foster human dignity through equipping people with disabilities with skills and tools to enable them employ themselves to earn incomes for self-sustainability and avoid begging, hence fostered human dignity.

Vision: To strengthen people with disabilities to become self-sustaining citizens of Uganda.

Based in: Masaka city
All locations of operation: Throughout greater Masaka, 10 districts and over 40 sub-counties.
Number of total MADIPA staff: 7 staff and leadership volunteers
Number of teachers we reach: 25 teachers, 10 headteacher, 10 teachers & 5 from universities and higher institutions of learning
Number of total school sites we reach: 15 school sites, 5 primary, 6 secondary & 4 higher institutions
Types of school settings: Within public and private schools, classrooms, and public places

Educational services we provide: Skills which yield to inclusive education

About the population we serve:

Current number of children with disabilities we serve: 20 children with disabilities
Age range of children: 4-22 years old

Types of disabilities we serve: all of the disabilities

Other direct beneficiaries: teachers, parents, and other opinion leaders

The action plan

Our goal: Conduct DSI’s behavior training module to improve the knowledge and skills of our teachers working with children with disabilities.

Number we plan to train: 25 teachers
Number of schools this will reach: 15 schools
Number of children who will directly benefit: 20 children with disabilities

“In the past ten year we have reached out to many schools, negotiating for [children with disabilities inclusion and rights] and inviting teachers to our activities for them to learn more about disability needs and to be our friends in order to keep them considering the special needs for the disabled children and disabled parents at their schools…
If we can take this module and disseminate it, this will help us very well!”

- Lukwago John Bosco N., Founder & Chairperson Board of Governors