persons with disability magazine

8/13/2019 Persons with Disability Magazine

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2 focusjanuary 2014

Rashid Mukisa and John Kalib-bala arrive at UMMWA/Mama FMto participate in a baseline surveyon knowledge levels on rights

Naluggya

Gorretti in thestudios of Mama FM:

I used the knowledgeand skills I acquired from

UMWA/Mama FM train-ing to demand for easyaccess to my church.Management has now

constructed an easywalk way for me!

Acknowledgments

The leadership and management ofUganda Media Womens Associa-tion (UMWA), which operates thefirst women focused and managedradio station, Mama FM, in Africa,would like to appreciate individualsand institutions for the successfulimplementation of this project.

First and foremost, the over 250people with special needs andrefugees who participated in oneor more of the activities. Withoutyou, the project would have been astill birth. You helped us torch ourinner to design better projects andimplement them much better! We

were able to drop the baggage thatnegated your progress!

The listeners of Mama FM, someof whom continued to challenge uswhy we had to give special treat-ment to people with special needs,kept us moving. And happy to saythat eventually you came on boardand started advocating for more airspace for the people with specialneeds to voice out their concerns!

To the partner organizations, youare especially appreciated for your

responsiveness to the project. Welook forward to continued collabora-tion. These include: The Uganda

Albino Association, National Unionof Disabled People in Uganda (NU-DIPU), Every Child Ministry, BlackBorn Artists, United Deaf WomensOrganization, Abalema United Ef-fort, and Twekembe, among others.

The staff and volunteers of UMWA/Mama FM! Thank you for beingflexible. Your readiness to creativityand to mainstream the thematicissues in the UMWA/Mama FM

programming, made the whole dif-ference and possibly is responsiblefor the short time the results wereachieved!

The work of the coordinating staffcannot be left unmentioned! Youwere simply great!

Last but not least, the sponsors ofthis project, The Ford Foundation,are highly appreciated not only forthe funds, but also the technicaladvice. Your continued support insustaining the project gains cannot

be overstated!

Margaret Sentamu-MasagaziExecutive Director UMWA

A cross section of persons with special needs attending a workshopon Human Rights.

John Nasasira ar-

rives at UMMWA/Mama FM toparticipate in abaseline surveyon knowledgelevels on rights

Mama FM is flexible!Anywhere can be a radiostudio. And song bird

Annette Nayiga, bornarmless with one shortleg which she uses forpractically everything, isas comfortable as youdnot imagine. She says:anybody who looks at methe first time gets into ashock, and I forgive them!This is me, but haverecorded songs and goneon stage. Im very gratefulto Mama FM, who hasgiven me the confidence,played my music, andcontinue to facilitate mytransport to coming hereat the station, and partici-pate in talk-shows. Youcant believe what thismeans to me, my familyand people with disabili-ties. It is so empowering!I love it!


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focus 3january 2014

Barac Films, Norway, from the website learnt that UMWA/Mama FM has special programs tomainstream issues of PWDs, women and other minorities in their general programming. And so,as they were about to launch the Abloom Film Festival (in November 2013) which was orga-nized to bring to the fore, the neglect, and loneliness that PWDs face, UMWA/ Mama FM wascommissioned to organize and engage people living with disabilities to participate in the Festival,by submitting samples of their work. Three CDs were collected on that day, also attended by theHon. Minister Sulaiman Madada, in charge of People With Disabilities. He since then promised towork with UMWA / Mama FM to amplify the plight of people with special needs.

Voices of the less advantaged

can impact the public agendaThe project was six months!June - November 2013. Soughtto increase the voices of the poor,women in particular, and thosewith special needs, refugees andthe youth, on the radio (MamaFM). Why? To impact on thepublic agenda, so that pro-peoplepolicies are formulated to improvethe lives of the majority popula-tion!

Three key activities wereimplemented:

A light baseline study toestablish rights knowledge levelsfor both the intended beneficiariesand the Mama FM staff/volun-teers.

Build knowledge and skills forMama FM staff/volunteers inthe rights based approach, and

program packaging.

Hosted less advantaged com-munities on Mama FM to voicetheir concerns and aspirations.

The results have been amazing!The challenge is sustainability!Enjoy the highlights. But first therewere special features that workedin favour of the ProjectUMWAs belief in: Information isPower; And a Rights Approach toDevelopment.

Working with and within existingstructures e.g.

- Mama FM is 12 yearsold and a developmental radio!

-Collaborating with organizationsthat work or are associated withissues of less advantaged people.

Flexibility and readiness of theintended beneficiaries and the

project implementers:

-The project beneficiaries did notonly participate in the supportedproject, but also in other like-minded activities implemented byUMWA thus adding knowledgeand building the necessary skills.

-They were also very ready toparticipate in radio programs thatwere not supported by the project.

-The project did not only targetthe radio staff / volunteers. All the

staff at UMWA participated in theplanning and some of the projectactivities. This meant, everybodywas brought on board at thesame time, and change waseasy to embrace. Their creativitywas also spot on e.g. deciding tomainstream thematic issues inMama FM programming, insteadof focusing on one or two programslots. Radio spot messages, DJmentions and drama skits, initiallynot part of the project, but laterembraced, were great value.

The project took advantage of internationally recognized days:During the 16 Days of Activism For No Violence Against Women(November 24 December 10th. UMWA/Mama FM chose a provoca-tive theme: Activism For No Violence Against Women.... Are people withspecial needs catered for?

Mobilized duty bearers and local communities, most of them physicallychallenged persons, to a dialogue. Here, Samuel Sekajugo, passes a mes-sage through a song he wrote.

Philly Kakooza wants the electoral laws revised before the 2016 elections. He says: The knowledge,

skills, and interaction facilitated by UMWA/Mama FM opened my eyes and gave me confidence to in-terrogate the injustices provided for in the electoral laws. Can you imagine the Member of Parliamentrepresenting People With Disabilities is unfairly elected? it is a handful of people under the NationalUnion of Disabled People in Uganda (NUDIPU), that participate in these elections. Why? Howrepresentative is NUDIPU? Does every person with disability subscribe to NUDIPU? The answer isNo! We shall use the acquired knowledge and skills, and the media to ensure the law is revised andbecome more inclusive. This should happen before the next general elections.


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4 focus january 2014

Ms. Annette Nayiga waiting to enterMama Fm studios.

Trevor Wanamba: I hate it when peoplecall me names like snake, ghost, scarecrow, aliens, or albino. Im grateful that Ican express myself on a radio, and hopefulpeople will stop calling me these namesbecause they are disempowering.

Tendo Nabibubbu Rebecca talks to Mama FMs Patrick:The disability cost me my marriage. After producing two children,my husband chased me from the home, and told me to look for adisabled man for a husband.

Adrian Magala asks CharlesKabanda, Mama FM RadioPresenter: I want to be a radiopresenter. How can I achieve mydream?

In the studios of Mama FM, during a Childrens ProgramDorah Mutonyi: Im happy my voice can now be heardall over Uganda.

Role plays were very much part of the project:Here, Physically challenged persons acting outscenarios depicting discrimination, exclusionand sectarianism.


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Focus 5january 2014

Through the project, UMWA/Mama FM found new partners. Prossy Nantume(Presenter Mama FM) engages Hassan Mulondo, Chairperson, Uganda Albino

Association.

A cross section of people with special needs sharingon Employment and Disability.This was after a training on rights and exclusion.

The project brought closer the duty bearers and rights holders. Kimbugwe Wil-liam in Mama FM studios talking about the challenges people with visual impair-ment face in public vehicle transport. Right is Mayambala Mustafa, Chairpersonof Drivers and Conductors Cooperative Association (DACCA).

Namuyomba Lillian from Gayaza , co-presenter Mama Fm ChildrensProgramme: We are all human beings; it hurts me when I am discrimi-nated based on my skin colour! I want Mama FM to invite able bodiedpeople so we engage in a discussion about our rights.

Comedian Charles Kabanda, Mama FM cracks a joke with Siperata Namusisi,Samalie Lukabwe, and Hassan Mulondo. He said to them after realizing that the threewho have albinism, had sat together. I have come to break this self-exclusion. And Idemand a seat here, whether you like it or not.


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MillyNandawula arriving

at Mama FM to participate ina sexual reproductive health

radio programme.

Atwork! Physically

challenged people andMama Fm staff reviewing

the progress of the project.

Catherine Apalat, Mama FM Programs Director:The project has been short, but very resultsbased! I was amazed at how the staff and vol-

unteer presenters quickly embraced the issuesfaced by PWDs, and passionately went aheadto mainstream them in their program slots, evenbefore a radio policy on this, was passed! Soamazing!

Joan Nankya, Program Officer, UMWA:There are certain things Ive been taking forgranted, not even imagine that it could hurtanybody. This project has opened my eyes.I have become more sensitive and alreadybecame careful when choosing which word touse. We grew up name calling people living withdisabilities. For example, omulema, referringto a person with a handicap in the leg. Itstoday that I have learnt that it hurts. Most ofthe passengers in a bus including myself, havealways complained about the time wasted to

allow a PWD to enter the bus. But not anymorewill this happen when Im seated in that bus. Ihave already experienced it, and gone aheadto bear on the driver or fellow passengers whoare impatient with or name call persons withdisabilities.

WilexMukisa, Volunteer

Presenter, Mama FM,Youth Programs:

The project helped me express mylong held dissatisfaction in society.

Being disabled is not inability, but ithurts having to cope with everydaydiscrimination and lack of appreciationof our physical and mental challenges.

For example, why would a teachercane children with disabilities

because they reported lateto school?

Focus 7january 2014


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8 foucus january 2014

Sarah Nakityo being interviewed by Margaret Sentamu,Executive Director UMWA, on her experiences.

Annette Namuddu records Rebecca Nakimulis voiceon her experience of growing up as a child

Dr.Patricia Litho,

UMWA Board Chair:As the leadership, we were

greatly challenged by the continuedaccusation that even UMWA is not

disability friendly despite our 30 yearswork in rights activism. We therefore had tofundraise and provide special facilities forpeople with special needs. We now havea rump and a disabilities friendly toilet.

We dont regret this!

Role model, Assertive, Empowered and Nursery schoolhead teacher! Samalie Lukabwe: I usually pretend that Idon't understand what my detractors are saying but later

tell them off.

Richard Mukasa, UMWA Caretaker:Before the training, Id not really bother much aboutthe physical state one was. But now I take extracare, and even assist people with special needsto reach the reception area, training centre, or theradio station. Their movement has also been facili-tated by management when they provided them withspecial facilities or passages: a rump and a toilet!

Jackson Wandoha has become an ardent participant in the Political and Current Affairs programon Mama FM. He has also appeared on talk-shows on various televisions and radio stations. He sitson the Executive Board of the Abalema United Effort. He is one of the people who engaged a heavilyarmed police while claiming their right over a piece of land in the City centre. Police teargased andbatoned the rights activists. Some of them thrown on police pick-ups but they did not relent. Jacksonexplains: Yes, we are living with disability, but we have rights too. That piece of land belongs to our

Association and have the right documentation. We had no guns nor batons to engage the police.But the information and skills we got from the training on rights and advocacy, organized by UMWA/Mama FM were enough, and we were ready to battle!

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