Gulu DP Union boosts mobility justice for disabled children and rural women

A fresh wave of inclusion is rising from Gulu City, where a locally-led initiative is breaking the silence on mobility justice for school-going children with disabilities and rural women.

And to achieve equality, Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) has launched an ambitious project to locally fabricate mobility aids, enabling easier access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

Hellen Alanyo, a 52-year-old resident of Acoyo-Rom in Laroo-Pece Division, shared how decades of mobility struggle are finally being addressed.

“I lost my bicycle during the LRA war in 1989 and have been crawling around my compound ever since,” Alanyo recounted. “But today, this mobility aid is like a new leg. I can now feed my children and seek opportunities.”

Alanyo lamented the continued exclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) from government programs and wealth creation initiatives.

“We are often sidelined. Even our children miss out on education opportunities,”. “Any support meant for PWDs must be directly allocated to us,” she said.

She criticized the failure of local leadership in addressing their concerns, revealing she missed out on the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds due to complications with her National ID. “I had to re-register this year just to be considered,” she said.

Similarly, Vincent Odong, a wheelchair recipient from Pamiyai sub-county in Nwoya district, expressed hope that his new mobility will allow him to revive his tailoring and phone repair skills.

“Without transport, I couldn’t reach my workplace. This wheelchair gives me a chance to be productive and avoid street begging,” he said.

Odong encouraged fellow PWDs not to lose hope: “We are capable. Focus on production and don’t let negative voices hold you back.”

The project, themed “Promoting Inclusion and Accessibility for School-Going Children and Rural Women in Uganda,” is spearheaded by the GDPU with support from Gulu district officials.

According to Patrick Ojok, the project coordinator, the Union had previously relied on purchasing mobility aids from Mulago Hospital in Kampala. However, that model proved unsustainable.

“For five years we’ve supported people using purchased appliances, but transporting them from Kampala for repairs or adjustments especially for growing children became too expensive,” Ojok explained. “That’s why we established our own workshop.”

The fabrication unit, now operational in Gulu City, aims to provide customized mobility devices at a lower cost while building long-term sustainability.

The plan is to expand the facility, increase equipment, and convert nearby old buildings into storage for finished products.

Ojok acknowledged the lack of specialized labor as a challenge, noting that part of the project involves training local technicians to handle large-scale production and reduce the risks of secondary disabilities caused by poorly fitted devices.

Geofrey Ali, Chairperson of Gulu Disabled Persons Union, emphasized the broader barriers faced by the disabled community.

“From inaccessible buildings and rough compounds to lack of assistive devices and community stigma, these all contribute to deepening disability,” Ali said.

Ali called on technicians to maintain high standards of production. “Let’s make quality devices to attract more customers and create jobs for PWDs in the greater Gulu region.”

Anna Grace Akot, the Gulu District Community Development Officer in charge of disability and elderly affairs, pledged government backing for the initiative.

“We are fully committed to supporting this workshop and will push for budget allocation in the next financial year,” she said.

She also urged development partners to focus on rural areas where many PWDs are still suffering in silence. “For too long, only urban disabled individuals have benefitted. It’s time for equity.”

As the Gulu Disabled Persons Union fabricates solutions from within, it is setting a model for grassroots innovation, inclusion, and advocacy going beyond living in unity to delivering justice through action.