Refugees with disabilities seek PDM cash
Drake Nyamugabwa
By Darlington Mabonga
Members of the refugee disability fraternity under their umbrella body of The Association of refugees with disabilities [ARD] Uganda has secured a new board with a mandate to push forward their agenda of fighting for the rights and interests of their members. The development came to light as the members collectively appealed to the government to consider granting them access to the parish development Model [PDM] funds program.
The remarks were made over the weekend by the executive director Association of Refugees with Disabilities [ARD] Uganda James Muombamungu during their annual general assembly meeting held at Pearl High way hotel Najjanankumbi.
The elections saw a new board led by Uwingabire Marie Claire as chairperson, Elisha Elise Byalungwe vice chair, and Mary Moliba as mobiliser respectively.
Advisors included Michael Mono Tomor, Faustin Tazam, Fuba Yezena and Emmanuel Ngirinshuti while Muombamungu James remains executive director.
He pointed out that as a refugee community they are exposed to many negative societal challenges such as gross denial and neglect to access basic humanitarian essential services such as health care, education, social economic among others which marginalizes them further.
‘We appeal to the government to ensure that Refugees are not left behind but encouraged to meaningfully participate in all development oriented programs and projects as well as seeing refugees accessing jobs on merit given our capability and potential to do a good job’ noted James.
‘Support us to create a world that is good for all mankind and we strongly look forward in 2025 that the government can include refugees on its PDM program among its star programs’ he observed.
The members commended their visionary Association co-founder leaders Obed Bayonga and Faustin Ntibategera for their dedication to advocating for refugees with disabilities which has enabled the steady growth of the Association.
The members extended gratitude to the government and all development partners for the support rendered to them saying they should as well include them in local decision making bodies for effective lobbying for better policies and rights based freedoms for their members.
