Catholic Christians from the Archdiocese of Mbarara living and working in Kampala, under their umbrella organisation, the Archdiocese of Mbarara Development Association (AMDA), are seeking to raise Shs500 million to support health and education initiatives in Nyabwina Parish, Sheema District.
AMDA brings together Catholics from the Mbarara Archdiocese who work in Kampala and surrounding areas. The association is targeting Shs500 million for this year’s AMDA Outreach, an annual initiative through which members return to communities in their home areas to undertake charitable activities.
This year’s outreach will be held in Nyabwina Parish and will include a medical camp, construction of a girls’ dormitory and establishment of a computer laboratory at St. Thomas Secondary School.
AMDA Chairperson Chris Gumisiriza said the association has so far raised about 40 per cent of its Shs500 million target.
“We are running for our health, but we are also running for Nyabwina to raise the required resources,” Gumisiriza said.
Fundraising Run Doubles as Health Awareness Drive
The fundraising campaign was complemented by a health awareness run that attracted about 1,200 participants.
The participants took part in 10-kilometre and five-kilometre races, with prize categories for women, men and children. Gumisiriza said about 6,000 people are expected to benefit from the Nyabwina outreach, including patients who will access the medical camp and related services.
He said the selection of each year’s host community begins with parishes expressing interest, followed by an assessment of the area by AMDA.
“We realised that Nyabwina was what I call an ICU. In terms of education and health, it is a remote area, so residents cannot easily access the specialised services that we want to offer,” Gumisiriza said.
Martin Byamukama, the head of the AMDA Sports Council, said the outreach will provide a range of services, including medical care, education, legal aid and leadership programmes.
According to Byamukama, the assessment identified significant gaps in some schools, particularly in access to computer facilities and adequate accommodation for students.
As part of the intervention, AMDA plans to establish a computer laboratory at one of the schools and construct a girls’ dormitory.
“Education is what will be targeted most, and also the health services,” Byamukama said.
A major highlight of the two-day outreach will be a mass wedding for more than 38 couples who have been living together without formally solemnising their marriages in the Catholic Church. The wedding will be presided over by the Archbishop during Sunday Mass.
Dr Rosemary Byanyima, the Executive Director of Mulago Hospital, who represented Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, said the outreach coincides with National Physical Activity Month.
She said organisers used the fundraising run to highlight the importance of physical activity and address low levels of exercise in Uganda.
Byanyima said the run served two purposes: raising funds for the outreach and reminding participants that physical activity should be part of their daily routine rather than an occasional activity.
She linked physical inactivity to an increase in costly illnesses, noting that conditions such as stroke and heart disease can leave survivors unable to work productively even after receiving treatment.
She added that regular physical activity supports the immune system and can help reduce the risk of some diseases, including certain cancers.
