In the quiet village of Busegya in Uganda’s Kamuli district, nine-year-old Muyisa Nelson is showing what’s possible when determination meets the right support. Living with cerebral palsy, Nelson has never let his condition define him — and with his mother by his side, he’s rewriting the story of what childhood with a disability can look like.

Before joining the programme of our local partners Katalemwa Cheshire Home, in June 2024, Nelson faced significant health challenges, including painful sores and rough skin. But he and his mother took every new learning and treatment with courage and persistence. Through improved nutrition and dedicated care, his health began to stabilise — a milestone in itself.

Receiving a wheelchair became a turning point. For Nelson, it wasn’t just a tool for movement — it was a vehicle for inclusion. Sitting upright with better posture, he now joins in family routines, attends church, and engages more confidently with those around him. His smile tells the story of a boy who’s discovering the joy of connection and participation.

For Nelson’s mother, the change has been equally profound. She no longer strains her body lifting Nelson for daily tasks. With her son more mobile, she’s regained time and energy to return to small-scale farming, ensuring a more secure future for them both. Through training and encouragement from community health workers at our local partner, Katalemwa Cheshire Home, she has grown into a confident caregiver and advocate, equipped with the skills and knowledge to support Nelson’s development.

Her enrolment in a cash transfer programme has brought more than financial relief — it has offered independence, dignity, and connection, including a mobile phone that keeps her in closer touch with family and support networks.

Nelson’s journey is far from over — but it is a testament to what’s possible when families are empowered, communities are engaged, and children with disabilities are given the tools to thrive. His story is not one of pity, but of progress, power, and potential.

With your support, we can ensure that more children like Nelson — and more mothers like his — have the chance to build futures filled with opportunity and pride.