Uganda

Although nobody expects to become disabled, it can happen any day, without warning. Disability affects nearly everybody at some point in their lives. The prevalence of disability in the world grew from 10% of the population in the 1970s to 15% in 2011. The current world population of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) is estimated at over one billion people, with higher prevalence rates in less developed countries (World Report on Disability, 2011). However, PWDs have remained invisible in most development programs, even though addressing disability issues from a development perspective can provide many social and economic benefits. Disability is thus a cross-cutting issue in all community development programs and should be given special consideration if we are to succeed in our work.

Two-dozen children welcome me into the school's library - a rare space in most Ugandan primary schools. But this is no ordinary school, and their headmistress, Olivia Muhumza, no ordinary individual.

This week I am writing from Kampala, where I have spent the past week assessing potential opportunities for IREX programming in Uganda. As I read about Uganda in preparation for my trip, one theme that kept arising was the overarching importance of religion. Uganda has large Catholic and Protestant populations as well as a significant Muslim population, and I was interested to learn more about the impact of religion and faith-based organizations on the conflicts in northern Uganda and other regions of the country.