Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Mercy Not Sacrifice

Home
About
My Book
Archives
More
- Theology
- Culture
- Politics
- Sermons
- Bible
- Devotions
- Daily Office
- Podcast

Home
Progressive Christian
Please support Uganda’s Good Samaritan Initiative!!!

Please support Uganda’s Good Samaritan Initiative!!!

Last updated on: August 10, 2015 at 9:15 am by Morgan Guyton

Please support Uganda’s Good Samaritan Initiative!!! 2015-08-10T09:15:42-05:00 Morgan Guyton

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The family of Ziraba Hassan Ally

Over the past several years, I have become facebook friends with a number of Christian grassroots community organizers from Africa and Asia. Grassroots organizations in the Global South have a lot more trouble getting support for their work than top-down organizations that come from the US, because they aren’t trusted and they often can’t accept tax-deductible donations. They also don’t speak English as a first language, so it is challenging for them to articulate their vision and their needs in language that seems adequately “professional” to Global North donors. So I’ve decided to offer my blog as a platform for some of these grassroots organizers. Please consider supporting their efforts through whatever means they prescribe!

Our first guest post is from Ziraba Hassan Ally of the Good Samaritan Initiative (GSI) from Uganda. GSI is fortunate to partner with a US NGO called the Global Belief Project, so you can support them with a tax-deductible gift by donating through the Global Belief Project website and writing “Good Samaritan Initiative” in the comment section.

I. Introduction

A bad beginning usually makes a good ending. I am saying this with regard to my humble background and how God is seeing me through all the hardships. Definitely, I know that not only me but also others may suffer in a similar way and can overcome in spite of these challenges they face. I strongly believe that God created me for a purpose: to serve the vulnerable through this ministry called Good Samaritan Initiative (GSI). Guided by the motto “We care”, GSI gives support to children with sickle cells, disabilities and those ones who lost their parents by meeting their basic needs. I ask you kindly to be part of this initiative to help the Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Uganda because we belong to God’s big family.

II. Who and what I am

My name is Ziraba Hassan Ally and I was born in 1970. Since childhood, I have been having the problems of visual disability and sickle cells. This situation puts me at the periphery of social life; and to say the least, I am discriminated against. However, this has urged me to think positively and to love God. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Lord tells me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, Christ Jesus has shaped my life. For disability is not a big issue to me; on the contrary, it is helping me to galvanize my strengths and efforts to delivering noble services to the vulnerable in society.

I am a holder of a BA in Social Work and Social Administration and other qualifications in Development Studies. I have experience in working as a volunteer with Community Based Organizations, Faith Based Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations.

III. Who and what the family members are

I have a wife called Doreen and we have six children: namely: Nseko Haruna (19 years), Bill Basajjabaka (15 years), Kyewalyanga Abu Yahaya (11 year), Janie Khakasa (9 years), Namulwa Jamira Elizabeth (5 ½ years) and Mukyala Naimu Mary (3 yers). Three of these children have sickle cells and these are: Bill Basajjabka, Janie Khakasa and Namulwa Jamira Elizabeth. One of these three kids, Bill Basajjabka, is an amputee.

In 2011 Bill suffered terribly from complications brought about by sickle cells and he was admitted in Jinja Referral Hospital. While he was in this state, Bill was given an injection in the right foot which went the wrong way! Instead of the injection being directed into the vein, it was into the vessel. This resulted in a dry gangrene that led to his leg to be amputated.

The situation we are as a family is the reason why I set up Good Samaritan Initiative.

IV. The organization and what it does

GSI, operating in Jinja District, Uganda, was founded in 2oo6 as a Community Based Organization. It is progressing to register as a Non-Governmental organization this year. GSI has 150 members, mostly local women who are parents to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs). Below are GSI vision, mission, goal and key programs:

a) Vision:

All vulnerable children are happy because the society in which they live responds to their needs through compassion and love of God.

b) Mission:

We exist to show total love and compassion to the Orphans and Vulnerable Children through our positive interventions in alleviating their suffering.

c) Goal:

By 2030 G.S.I. to alleviate poverty among Orphans and Vulnerable Children of Uganda by helping them directly with the basic necessities of life, and supporting and working with various social networks to bring about a positive change.

d) 4 Key programs:

1. Sponsorship

Under this program, GSI will get some sponsors that shall support the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in terms of meeting their basic necessities such as education, food, clothing and shelter. In other words, a relationship will be developed between a child and a sponsor that would result into the latter helping the child financially and materially and the child benefiting from such help.

2. Health

This will focus on supporting the OVCs attain what they lack in the area of health; that is to say, hygiene and sanitation. Under hygiene, issues of personal cleanliness will be addressed and sanitation will focus on public health (considering the society in general). This program will handle matters to do with combating and treating diseases among children, provision of clean and safe water to the households, donating mosquito nets, disability reversals and many others. Basically, a sub-program of Early Childhood, Care and Development will be part of this and sensitization will be an important aspect to make the program run smoothly.

3. Livelihood

This is the economic base for the household where the OVC belongs. GSI will lobby for funds that shall help families of OVCs to be economically self-supportive, self-sustained and empowered. Petty businesses by women and agricultural activities fall under this. GSI has launched a Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA), popularly known as “village Bank” to help women to save and borrow money. But this project needs to be boosted with more money to help the members benefit from it fully. Women have started participating in a handcraft project where many of them are learning how to make items such as bags, armlets, necklaces and so on. This very project requires seed capital for it to run successfully. GSI has identified a place where they can raise chickens as a group but this also requires start-up capital to start this project.

4.Education, Children and Youths

This is aimed at developing children into decent mature adults who fear God. This program looks at basically the interests of both children and youths and promotes them with the guidance of the adults. Identifying and promoting the talents of children and youths through games, sports, music, dance and drama is done in this program. Under this program GSI has started a project of writing stories and poems.

GSI ensures that it upholds the following core values to implement its activities: compassion, accountability, transparency, honesty, integrity and democracy.

V. Partnership

GSI seeks to partner with anyone that is interested to help the OVCs. However, currently we are working closely with Global Belief Project.

VI. Conclusion

Thank you very much for dedicating your time to read this blog. I request for your help so that we can make the vision of GSI a reality because “everything together works for good to those who are called to serve His purpose” (Rom 8:28). You can support GSI through the Global Belief Project’s donation page. Please write “Good Samaritan Initiative” in the comment section.

GSI e-mail: [email protected]

Personal e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Uncategorized

Africa

Community organizer

Global Belief Project

Good Samaritan Initiative

Grassroots

NGO

Ziraba Hassan Ally

Previous Post

July 15, 2015

The woman with the orthopedic shoes at my Monday mass

Next Post

August 18, 2015 Disrupters, witnesses, and bridge-builders: three different tactics in the struggle for justice

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Beauty Will Save the World Bible Big Picture: Ephesians Bloggers Book Christian salvation and the Beautitudes Culture Daily Office Danceable Homiletics Deadly Sins Deep Roots: Genesis Devotions Dominican Republic May 2011 El Principio Misericordia (The Mercy Principle) Five verses God tattooed on my heart Fundraising FutureGospel Good Biblical Words Henri Nouwen Interview Jennings' Christian Imagination Jesus inside the beltway Jesus Is My Candidate Jesus vs the Pharisees Jesus vs. Plato Journey to Eternity Looking Back on 2012 Love Actually Monday Merton Monday Merton Music Occupy the manger On Earth As It Is In Heaven Original Sin Podcast Poetry Politics Prayer Psalm 119 Radical Jesus 101 Reviews Sermon on the Mount Sermons Spanish Bible study Special Series Spiritual but not religious Synchroblog Theology Things that made me think Thomas a Kempis Ugliness Into Beauty Uncategorized Viaje Dominicano 2013 Walking in the Valley (Lent) Welcome: It's More than a Mat Wild Goose 2013 Wrestling

Select a Month March 2022 January 2022 December 2021 September 2021 April 2021 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Abba" literally mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Parent My God Lord Father