Africa-Press – Uganda. Uncertainty hovers over the future of St Kizito Babies Home in Mbale City after its main donor told the administration that he will pull out starting this year.
The facility has been struggling to cope for the past two years after donors cut funding due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Started in 1963 by the Mill Hill Missionaries of the Catholic Diocese of Tororo, the facility takes care of abandoned babies and children whose parents are severely handicapped, and supports the education of some of them. The facility currently has 30 babies.
The main sponsor of the facility was Francis Lucas and his wife, Elizabeth, from the Netherlands. Elizabeth died three years ago.
In an interview with Daily Monitor last week, Sister Mary Lunyoro, the administrator of the home, said Mr Lucas told them that he is pulling out because of “advanced” age (late 80s).
“He is pulling out officially by December 31, 2022. He is now not capable of supporting us and this leaves us in a hopeless situation,” she said.
Sister Lunyolo added that the shortage of funds has affected outreaches, donations, and the distribution of food to vulnerable children.
“This will be worsened by the pulling out of our main donor who has been contributing 80 percent of the funds,” she said.
She added that the home uses close to Shs10 million monthly to pay staff allowances, medical supplies, food, among others.
“We have 14 staff and [we] are now totally handicapped on how we are going to take care of them,” she said.
She urged other donors to support the baby’s home.
“We have some small poultry and piggery projects and if we can get a boost from donors and the government, it will help us in our journey of self-sustainability,” she said.
Ms Racheal Weginga, a social worker at the baby’s home, said for the past two months, they have been struggling with the lack of enough medical supplies and baby assortments.
“We have to always work hard to make sure these babies are protected and healthy, and the treatment bills and medical supplies are very expensive,” she said.
She added that infants (a day old to six months) need special attention.
“We are in trouble because packed milk for children goes for about Shs60,000, which we cannot afford right now,” she said.
Ms Lydia Mukwana, the director of Sheila Muwala Mulungi Girls’ Foundation, said the home should be supported.
“They sacrifice a lot in taking care of abandoned children and, therefore, we appeal for new donors to come on board,” she said.
The foundation last week also donated several items to the facility.
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