UGANDA: Sant’ Egidio Community Lira Donates to Elderly Persons
Fr. Isaac Ojok
Sant’ Egidio Community in Uganda’s Lira Diocese, on Christmas day shared the joy of the birth of Christ with the elderly and vulnerable persons with dozens of essential items donated to them.
Among the items donated were clothes to help them celebrate the birth of Christ with joy and hope in their lives.
The categories of vulnerable people who received the donations were mainly women especially widows and widowers who could not acquire basic needs for themselves.
Other category who received assistance from Sant’ Egidio Lira are the children commonly known by many as the Street Children who earn what they live on along the streets.
The annual event of Sant’ Egidio generally known as Christmas lunch saw a total of 429 elderly persons including children who shared in the joy that Christmas brings among the people in the meals provided by members of Sant’ Egidio community Lira.
According to Mr. Moses Okwir Coordinator Sant’ Egidio Community Lira, the donations to the elderly people in Lira were made possible with local contributions from the members, friends and well-wishers.
He noted that the contribution is part of the response to the plight of the elderly people in the community in a move to comfort and give hope in their lives.
The coordinator further noted that although Sant’ Egidio community Lira is determined to continue helping the poor, they are however faced with financial constraint that is hindering them from meeting the needs and expectations of the vulnerable people in the communities.
He implored members of the public to emulate what Sant’ Egidio community is doing to allow them give help to the elderly persons not only on Christmas but whenever the poor are in dire needs.
Moving forward, Mr Okwir noted that they have laid plan to initiate the Association of Sant’ Egidio community in other parishes in Lira diocese to ensure that they respond to the plight of the elderly and restore hope in their lives.
The parishes that are in the plan according to Mr Okwir are Aduku, Apac, and Alenga respectively.
The activities being conducted by Sant’ Egidio community is in light of the Gospel of St Matthew 25:35-36 that says; “For i was hungry you gave me food, thirsty you gave me water to drink, naked you clothed me, sick you cared for me, a stranger you welcomed me, in prison you visited me”.
In light of the same Gospel above, the Government of the Republic of Uganda is currently implementing a special program known as Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) where through the grant, the government gives out a monthly stipend of 25,000Ushs approximately (6.69USD) to persons aged above 80 years in different parts of the country to enable them access basic services, start income generating activities.
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