ARCHDIOCESE OF GULU PWD ASSOCIATION (AGCPDA) ELECTS NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The newly elected board members having a brief meeting
 
By Odong Stephen and Biko Rombe
Gulu City
 
The Archdiocese of Gulu catholic persons with disabilities, a community-based organization has elected its board members that will run the organization for the next three years.
 
The election was carried out last week on Thursday 05/06/2025 during the annual general meeting held at Mother Teresa Nursery, Primary and Vocational school in Laroo-Pece division, Gulu city.
 
According to the founder members of this association, its main mission is to majorly equip persons with special abilities including those with hearing impairment and other disabled persons so that they access the word of God in different catholic churches and also gain life skills training for their survival.

A catechist from Holy Rosary Catholic Parish, Walter Otto Nyeko, the newly elected chairperson board said, the vision began in 2016 after seeing that the persons with hearing impairment and other disabled persons are unable to access God’s word since no one always thinks of translating to them in sign language so that they are in position to understand like any other believer in the church during mass. Otto added that the people lack practical life skills to help them generate income for their daily living.
 
“As the chairperson board for this organization, my role is to bring all peoples with hearing impairment together to get the skills in different skill programs that we shall offer, secondly we shall move in different villages looking for these special people and even train their parents on basic sign language interpretation so that they are able to talk to the deaf and finally bring them to the center and skilling them as well,” said Otto.
 
Robert Kilama a member who doubles as an advisor for this organization said the election was free and fair because members showed their trusts in the new office bearers.
 
“I am very happy and I know for sure that their work will yield good fruits for our persons with disabilities and as an organization, we need to move together with persons with disabilities so that we achieve a greater goal of their development in our communities,” Kilama expressed.
 
Rev. Sister Rosalba Mary Akello the headteacher Mother Teresa Nursery, primary and vocational school welcomed the initiative with open hands.
 
“We were trying to sensitize the parents that these children are gifts from God, the  situation they in was not their choice so, we need to provide them with the necessity and all the basic need as well training them on life skills so that when they go back home, they are able to put in to practice what learn in to practice so that they are able to have income generating activities that can help them afford salts, soaps  among other basic needs but not going to begging,” Sr. Rosalba emphasized.
 
Walter Oyoo a member of this organization encouraged the newly elected board members to work together to ensure that this organization benefits even the future generation to come. “I am encouraging everyone that we should join our hands together so that our organization doesn’t collapse and this can only be done through team work and whatever we want to do we shall achieve, so we need not put down our tools,” said Otto.
 
Among the new board members elected are; Holy Rosary Catholic Parish Catechist Walter Otto Nyeko elected the chairperson board, Brenda Aloyo as vice chairperson, John Bosco Komakech as general secretary, Rev. Sr. Rosalba Mary Akello treasurer, and other members are Robert Acaye Oscar, Robert KiIama, Maxwell Ojok, Timothy Nato and Walter Oyoo.