Growing up in Uganda as a youth, one of my greatest experience was attending a young people’s seminar where various skills such as entrepreneurial and communication were imparted. I thought that all youth everywhere could afford these learning experiences and those who never showed up just didn’t because of less or no interest on their part.
Little did I know how hard or impossible it was for blind youths to access such opportunities.
Many blind youths suffer similar challenges like other “normal” youths in searching for jobs and business opportunities.
They are usually ill equipped in terms of skills and lack vital information that could propel them to find the jobs they need which is coupled with the fact that they live without God’s Word in their everyday lives.
In Uganda blindness often times is viewed to be a curse and bad luck. Blind people are hardly noticed in society because their own family members keep them at home out of shame or over protectiveness. This hinders them from accessing information. Think for a moment; “how many blind persons if any did you notice in the recent workshop that you attended or how many blind people formed part of your invitation Guest list to an event you organized?”
Nevertheless here at The Bible Society of Uganda, God has taught us to reach out to people who are blind. He has built around us a ministry where we can give blind people a gift they genuinely long for; the Braille Bible each costing at least 1,868,500/= One Million,eight hundred and sixty eight,five hundred shillings. We are also able to provide opportunities for skills Development and Scripture Enrichment Training.
This year in September our special efforts are towards equipping at least One hundred (100) blind students with entrepreneurial, Self Discipline, leadership, inter-personal and marketing skills. This is to take place in a form of a three (3) days residential training. You could enable blind and partially sighted youths to get to know the Lord and deepen their relationship with Him through participating in the Skills Development and scripture enrichment.
Together let’s contribute to the greater independence of the blind people,their future employment, education and participation in church. For us to make this happen each of the One Hundred (100) blind youth needs Two Hundred Thousand Uganda Shillings (200,000/-) which will cater for their accommodation, meals and transport. The whole training will cost Twenty Million Uganda Shillings (20,000,000/-). You and your organisation/ministry can sponsor One (1), Five (5), Ten (10) or more blind youth to benefit from this training. Looking forward to your generous giving and partnership towards this noble cause.
Simon Peter Mukhama
General Secretary / C.E.O