Growing Hope: USSSU’s August 2024 Impact Report
- USSSU
- Mar 2
- 3 min read
At Universal Seniors Social Services Uganda (USSSU), we believe in small steps that create lasting change. August 2024 was a month of health interventions, home visits, community awareness, and agricultural empowerment. While some seniors struggled with illness and basic needs, others found joy in newfound stability and support.
This month, we continued to transform lives—one home, one garden, and one act of kindness at a time.
Home Visits: Caring for the Most Vulnerable
Through routine home visits, we ensured seniors received spiritual, emotional, and material support. We also provided essentials like sugar, maize flour, and soap, which made a meaningful difference in their daily lives.
💙Health Updates & Challenges
🔹 Mzee Wandobere developed a severe cough and flu, leaving him weak and bedridden. Fortunately, his son and daughter-in-law stepped up as primary caregivers while he received treatment.
🔹 Ms. Tolita Nandeke, who suffered a broken leg in July, is showing signs of improvement. Though still in pain, we are grateful for her slow but steady recovery.
🔹 Ms. Margaret Namarome, who previously struggled with dementia and wandering, is finally settled at home after starting medication last month. She has gained weight and stability, proving that proper care makes all the difference. However, her caretaker, Kezia, is struggling with basic necessities, making support more difficult.
🔹 Ms. Keziah Nekesa continues to suffer from general body pain and frailty. The biggest challenge? Her home is in an area where motorcycles (boda bodas) cannot reach, making access to healthcare nearly impossible.
🔹 Mzee John Wekwanya, who moved into his new home last month, is now properly settled. Thanks to generous donors, he now has a bed, mattress, and bedsheets, replacing his old, torn bedding.
🎉 A major win for USSSU! Seeing Wekwanya finally rest in comfort is proof that every contribution, no matter how small, changes lives.
Empowering Seniors Through Agriculture: A New Chapter
🌱 This month, we launched a life-changing initiative—household vegetable gardens!
🥬 With support from the USSSU Board, we distributed vegetable seeds to our seniors and their caregivers. Many visited the office to collect peas and sukuma wiki (collard greens) seeds, while we personally delivered them to those unable to travel.
🎉 102-year-old Erina Bilali and Mzee Wetoore were among the grateful recipients!
🥦 Why This Matters: The Power of Vegetables
During a community awareness session, we educated seniors and caregivers about the benefits of incorporating vegetables into their diets, including:
✅ Lowering blood pressure
✅ Reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke
✅ Preventing certain types of cancer
✅ Improving digestion and eye health
✅ Managing blood sugar levels
📢 The response was incredible! Many seniors had never realized the nutritional value of vegetables but now feel empowered to make healthier choices.
💡 Beyond health benefits, we encouraged them to sell excess produce to generate income for other basic needs.
🌱 We eagerly await the growth of these gardens in the coming weeks!
Urgent Cases: Seniors in Desperate Need
While many seniors are improving, some require urgent support.
🚨 Ms. Kezia, Mzee Wekwanya, and Paul Khiisa are among the most critical cases, struggling with basic necessities, medical care, and financial hardships.
💙 They need immediate intervention.
Challenges & Lessons from August
🔹 Limited accessibility to healthcare – Seniors like Keziah Nekesa cannot easily reach hospitals or health centers due to their remote locations. We need alternative solutions like mobile clinics or transport sponsorships.
🔹 Food security remains a challenge – While the vegetable gardening initiative is a great step, many seniors still lack staple foods like maize and rice.
🔹 Caregivers need more support – Many of those looking after seniors struggle to provide for themselves, making caregiving even more difficult.
Looking Forward: What’s Next?
August was a month of progress and challenges, but our mission continues.
🌿 Next steps:
✅ Follow up on vegetable gardens and evaluate their impact.
✅ Expand health interventions for critical cases.
✅ Strengthen community awareness sessions on aging and caregiving.
How You Can Help
💙 Your support is the key to a senior’s survival.
🌟 Ways to Make a Difference:
✅ Donate – Help provide food, healthcare, and shelter.
✅ Volunteer – Join us in supporting and uplifting seniors.
✅ Spread Awareness – Share our mission and encourage others to support.
📢 Visit www.usssu.org and be part of the movement today!
🚀 Together, we can build a future where every senior in Uganda lives with dignity, comfort, and care.
Monthly Report
Comments