Hello Friends!
I have shared that I made some beautiful friends in Uganda through the magic of Facebook. Constantin Sserwada is one of the dearest souls. His sister and her husband passed away three years ago in a taxi accident and he now cares for his three nieces as well as his son and the impoverished elders in his and a neighboring village.
In March, Constantin had his organization, Michael Penner for Elders Organization, officially registered as a CBO (Community Based Organization) in the Mityana District of Uganda.
Today is Constantin’s 27th birthday. For a man who does so much for others, I want to help give back to him. I told him I would help raise money for the elders in his community. He asked for $500 to care for 12 families for the next month. I think we can do better!
I would be so grateful if you would read his story and contribute any amount to support this cause. Constantin also teaches Swahili to Americans to help pay for food and schooling for his nieces, so if you know anyone interested in that, it is another way to help.
I am excited to witness the blessings of our support via Constantin and will post to Facebook regularly, so you all can see how your contributions are helping.
Thank you so much for anything you may be able and willing to do❣️
A heart of love,
Courtney
Hi friends,
My name is Constantin sserwada.
I am 27 years old.
I am a Ugandan. I live in Mityana district, Busimbi division, Kireku ward in Nzunga Ttaba village.
I am single and stay with my 3 nieces whose parents died of a fatal taxi accident last 3 years. I was a teacher of languages at different elementary schools here in Uganda however my job could not take care of me and my family so, I had to quit it.
The first thing I had to think about was to carry out " farming" I am a farmer right now.
Farming is also quite because I have to rent 1 or 2 acres of land every each season.
I farm maize ( corn), beans, cassava and potatoes for food!
When I harvest maize and beans, I have to store some for food in the future. The rest is sold for my nieces' school fees and our house rent. I usually take maize to the grinding machine for the maize flour. This helps us to get posho ( posho is a paste made from the maize flour)
When the season go bad, it requires me to help the rich neighbors in their gardens where I am paid 1000 of Uganda shillings. There I can work for 5 hours to make 5000 Uganda shillings!
This is equal to 1.9 USD every 5 hrs☹️
Despite the hardships and sufferings, I have not hesitated to maintain my nieces at school.
I have seen and learnt how people live in my country but mostly in my community.
Most who are living in badly condition are the elderly people whose families ignored them! Others are widowers and widows whose wives and husbands died of HIV/ AIDS. This also cause poor living conditions for our elders
When I realized how these people were living, I had to start a community based organization ( CBO) so that I could care for these people lawfully.
My organization's name is MICHAEL PENNER FOR ELDERS ORGANIZATION and I am very glad that it was registered by the district under the registration number: BUS.DIV/277/2021.
There is nothing worse than sleeping hungry but when it comes to the elderly people, it becomes like a decay in the bones! It really sucks☹️
The major cause and the source of poverty for today's elderly is the war between 1980-1986. Almost 36 years ago .
From 1980-1986, here was a war of removing the dictator leadership, this took thousands of men and women plus the children .
Uncountable people lost their jobs and homes and others others had to stay in refugee camps for years. This led to joblessness and homelessness for more Ugandans!
Great famine, starvation and malnutrition have also caused too much death in different communities including mine!
Chronicle diseases such as HIV and AIDS have caused too much poverty and loneliness among Ugandans like the elderly people.
What would come in my mind was that if I had more money, I would build a nursing home and bring all the elderly people together. This could at least help me hold them for years! I really love the elderly people due to their wisdom and good culture they give to the next generations.
My question is that if our elders continue to die earlier, how do you think would the next generations be??
A country without the elderly people is called a " hell" according to my thoughts!
Therefore, I would love to collect donations that can help me feed those who are happen to have nothing to eat.
I would also provide some of them with medication.
My goal would be 500 USD through out this July.
This money would help me care for 12 families till the next month.
Whether you donate 1$ or 10$ , my heart is delighted to any donation.
Thank you!
Please save the next generations by helping our elderly people out!
They are the teachers of the past!!