The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) and the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) have donated essential supplies to Kireka Home for Children with Special Educational Needs in Kira Municipality.
The community outreach initiative marked this year’s African Public Service Day under the theme of expanding public-private partnerships for universal sanitation and water access.
MODVA Principal Human Resource Officer Mr. Steven Sajja led the delegation on behalf of the ministry's Permanent Secretary. He stated that defense leadership specifically chose the facility after identifying its immediate operational needs.
Headteacher Mrs. Rebecca Nankwanga expressed deep gratitude to the defense team during the handover ceremony. She noted that the facility currently cares for 85 children living with autism, Down syndrome, and severe physical disabilities.
“Thank you for loving our vulnerable children,” Mrs. Nankwanga said. “For some, this is their permanent home. We thank God for people like you and for the defence team for choosing Kireka Home.”
School Management Committee member Hon. Mukalazi Twaha commended the ministry for prioritizing vulnerable youth. He appealed to MODVA officials to grant the school’s learners access to the UPDF General Referral Hospital to meet their complex medical needs.
Kira Municipality Education Officer for Special Needs Mrs. Harriet Nakirya stressed that many children require specialized care, proper nutrition, and constant supervision.
“We never imagined that MODVA would think about us,” Mrs. Nakirya stated. “You have inspired us to reach out to other ministries for additional support. Whoever directed you to Kireka Home, may God bless you.”
The donated supplies included mattresses, bedding, blankets, sanitizing agents, soaps, and assorted food items. Senior Human Resource Officer Ms. Lorna Allen Asima and Mr. Tumwijukye Moses accompanied Mr. Sajja during the distribution exercise.