About Us
Who we are
Uhuru Child Care
Uhuru in Swahili means freedom. Our goal is to give back the freedom to be a child whatever their disability. We promote the rights of children with disabilities by means of access to health care and education. Uhuru Child Care (UCC) was formed in 2018 in Malawi. It is a registered non-profit organisation. UCC was established after seeing a big gap in care that could improve the lives of children with cerebral palsy. The mission of UCC is to facilitate an inclusive, holistic, sustainable and people centred solution for children and their families in Kasungu District. Uhruru Child Care – Switzerland was created in 2022 to support projects in Malawi.
What we do
Cerebral Palsy / Disability
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is the most common motor disability in childhood. It is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control his or her muscles. Treatment for children with CP requires specialised care and therapies. UCC is a specialist in all motor and cognitive disorders in children.
Currently we help more than 100 children between the ages of 0 to 18 years old.
Where we are
Malawi
Malawi is a small landlocked country, bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The country was built around one of the largest lakes in Africa. The country is nicknamed “Warm Heart of Africa” because of the friendliness of its people. However, beyond the majestic shores of Lake Malawi, the country faces many challenges. Considered one of the poorest countries in the world with a high population density and a fragile economy. This situation has left the country and individual households vulnerable to enormous shocks such as health, economic, social, and agriculture. The health sector is broken with poor drug supplies, low funding, a lack of adequately qualified staff and a shortage of modern medical equipment. This is just the tip of the iceberg as regards the enormous challenges affecting the health sector, which in turn exacerbates the impact on the most vulnerable households in urban and rural areas.
What we face
Challenges
Many challenges are encountered by children with cerebral palsy and their families in Kasungu and across Malawi.
Discrimination and stigmatisation
Children with CP are often hidden from the community and could even be killed by their family. A woman who decides to keep her disabled child is often rejected by her husband. The single mother becomes isolated, lacking financial support and help from the community.
Lack of medical care and therapies
Access to healthcare is a major problem for people living in the countryside. The healthcare centres are generally too far away, and transport is too expensive. In addition, there is little awareness of cerebral palsy. Specialised care and therapies are rare even at Kasungu Hospital. Thus, disabled children develop numerous complications (malnutrition disorders, respiratory complications, infections, muscle and joint retraction, etc.) due to lack of care.
Lack of nutritious and balanced diet
Few families can provide the basic needs of their children with cerebral palsy. Lack of adequate food is a recurring problem, leading to severe malnutrition.
Lack of education
Most of the children with cerebral palsy cannot afford to attend school. Transport, classroom and toilets are not adapted.
Meet the people that founded our organisation
Team in Malawi
Biography
Maulidi Kelvin Kijangwa
Founder and Director
I was born on 28th September 1978, in the city of Tanga in Tanzania. I became a citizen of Malawi in 2003. Fifth born in a family of thirteen children, I faced many challenges and hardships during my childhood in the local community.
Growing up, I noticed other children within the community who were affected with cerebral palsy. Early on, I was rattled by the discrimination they faced, the usual abandonment by their biological father, the isolation from being locked in the house as well as the lack of rights and opportunities to play with other children.
Witnessing their horrendous living conditions, I vowed to lead a life enabling me to take care of children with cerebral palsy. At the age of 38, I managed to start building my dream in the District of Kasungu. Chawanagwa Emanuel Kapito, Chisomo Phiri Banda and Innocent Dzimbiri are the three children I started working with by providing basic needs in 2016. The long process of registering an organisation was officially finalised on 2nd August 2018. In December 2019, a first partnership was established with the Kasungu District Hospital. It allowed me to work with them alongside my engagement with the District Commission, Social Welfare and other relevant government departments. This gave me the opportunity to improve my knowledge of therapy in the domain of cerebral palsy.
Maulidi Kelvin Kijangwa
Founder
Biography
Chifundo Kijangwa
Project Coordinator
Excited to share my story – Coming soon!
Chifundo Kijangwa
Project Coordinator
Meet the people that decided to give time to help our cause
Team in Switzerland
Biography
Aurélie Paley
Rehabilitation Coordinator
My name is Aurélie Paley, I am 29 years old and I am from Lausanne, in Switzerland.
In 2021, Romain and I traveled through Malawi on a trip to Southern Africa. We met the founder of Uhuru Child Care, Maulidi Kelvin Kijangwa, and Racheal Harawa. I was impressed by their fight for children with cerebral palsy. Their determination and desire to help these families touched me a lot. The actions carried out over the last few years have helped more than 100 children, which is remarkable considering the financial and technical difficulties.
As a physiotherapist in Switzerland and having worked with children with disabilities, it seemed obvious to me to support UCC when we returned from our trip. I was therefore very happy to officially join the association. My role is to help set up the physiotherapy and to participate in fundraising projects in Switzerland.
Aurélie Paley
Rehabilitation Coordinator
Biography
Romain Konde
Public relation Coordinator
My name is Romain Konde, I’m 30 and I’m from Lausanne, Switzerland. With a Master’s degree from the EPFL, I decided to reorient myself in the healthcare field, in particular following our trip to the southern hemisphere in 2021, during which Aurélie and I discovered UCC. The strength and courage shown by the beneficiaries I met impressed me enormously and inspired me daily. My organisational skills enable me to support the association in its online presence and fundraising.
Romain Konde
Public relation Coordinator
Biography
Pierre-André Paley
Rehabilitation Coordinator
Excited to share my story – Coming soon!
Pierre-André Paley
Treasurer