I founded Imprint Hope from a burning forcefulness out within my pump to pick out help, HOPE in addition to purpose to children with disabilities inwards Uganda, East Africa. I grew upwardly with my sister, Kate, who has diverse physical in addition to neurological impairments. Kate’s life has allowed me peak within the complex soul of a mortal with a disability in addition to come across the valuable gifts every kid with a disability has to acquire out on the world.
I ever wondered what happened to children with disabilities inwards other countries. This probing enquiry took me to Republic of Uganda inwards 2013. I spent a yr in that place volunteering every bit an Occupational Therapist at an orphanage with over 500 children with disabilities.
During my yr inwards Uganda, my pump was moved to the core, how I witnessed children with disabilities rejected, abandoned, locked away inwards orphanages in addition to seen every bit a curse inwards Ugandan society. This disparity made my pump therefore restless in addition to empowered me to practise something most it!
Imprint Hope was in addition to therefore founded on a uncomplicated premise that every mortal inwards the basis has been given a dissimilar fingerprint for a really specific purpose. Each i of us has dissimilar lines in addition to jagged edges on each i of our fingers, which I believe is a testimony to the fact that nosotros all possess got a unique laid of gifts to “imprint” on the world. Children with disabilities are no exception.
Q: Tell us to a greater extent than most Imprint Hope.
Imprint Hope is currently targeting a Ugandan hamlet that has a high prevalence of children with disabilities. These are children with Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Cerebral Malaria, Brachial Plexus Injuries, Hydrocephalus, articulation dislocations, in addition to swallowing disorders.
We are trying to initially outreach to these children past times providing instruction to caretakers on how to empathize their child’s challenges, provide rehabilitation services inwards the abode in addition to render wheelchairs/adaptive equipment to the children.
Our promise in addition to dream is to ultimately ready a rehabilitation hospital where children tin can have Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy in addition to nursing services. We also promise to provide educational classes on disabilities, therefore caretakers possess got a greater degree of agreement on the rootage of a disability in addition to how they tin can assist their child.

Q: Do you lot provide all the OT services or practise you lot possess got other therapists who assist you?
I am currently the only Occupational Therapist on our team. Upon arriving inwards Uganda, I’m actively seeking to piece of work with Ugandan Physical Therapist (PT) in addition to Occupational Therapist (OT) who possess got a pump for helping children with disabilities. The degree of preparation for OT’s, PT’s in addition to medical professionals inwards Republic of Uganda is drastically dissimilar from America, therefore I promise to connect both worlds, therefore nosotros tin can larn from each other.
I’m also actively trying to set-up a rotation of Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, Speech Therapist, Nurses in addition to Doctors from Europe in addition to America to come upwardly over to Republic of Uganda in addition to assist serve with us. Together nosotros tin can assist empower abundant life for these children. If you lot tin can assist provide a connective to ready other medical providers ship an electronic mail to Clare @ Imprint Hope. com
Q: Has it been hard starting a non-profit organization?
Forming a non-profit arrangement has been a humbling learning sense of shout for questions, seeking out the assist of knowledgable professionals, work solving in addition to many sleepless nights of filling out IRS documentation. My motivation throughout this exciting in addition to challenging journeying has been vividly seeing the eyes of those children with disabilities lying inwards mud huts all solar daytime staring upwardly at a roof with no access to medical tending or rehabilitation services. Those children demand a vocalism to struggle for them in addition to I desire to last that vocalism of hope, agreement in addition to love, whatever the personal sacrifice.
Q: When you lot render to Republic of Uganda after this month, what is your top priority?
I’m moving dorsum to Republic of Uganda on August 17th for an indefinite menses of fourth dimension to piece of work inwards a hamlet with a high prevalence of children with disabilities. Initially upon arrival, our initial destination is to works life a presence in addition to rapport with the local people past times traveling in/out of their homes in addition to providing the children with OT in addition to PT services, medication, in addition to wheelchairs/adaptive equipment. Establishing a connective with Ugandan medical professional person volition last vital throughout this whole procedure every bit well. This is an ingrained civilization of disregarding children with disabilities, therefore its it’s going to possess got fourth dimension to brand a sustainable presence in addition to acquit upon the community at large.

Ugandans scout foreigners with an eagle eye, therefore providing a patient, loving in addition to compassionate example on “how” to hold, talk, feed, in addition to handgrip these beautiful children volition last essential.
Q: Share your most favorite OT 2nd from Imprint Hope.
My start calendar week inwards Republic of Uganda I met Joseph, who is a persevering niggling 7-year former with Cerebral Palsy. Joseph had spent his life inwards a dormitory because he never received whatever therapy to assist him contend his physical impairments. Joseph approached me i solar daytime in addition to said ‘Sister, learn me how to walk, therefore I tin can become to school.’
In Uganda, children with disabilities demand to last able to walk in addition to last can trained to come inwards a classroom.
Well after 2 months of Occupational Therapy, Joseph took his start footstep independently. In 4 months time, he was navigating his surround with lofstrand crutches in addition to standby physical assistance. Joseph is immediately navigating dynamic in addition to incline surfaces independently in addition to is going to school. Vividly remembering the hold back of joy inwards Joseph’s eyes at receiving this gift of functional mobility ever brings tears to my eyes.
Q: What tin can nosotros practise to help?
Imprint Hope runs alone off the generosity in addition to selfless virtue of others. At this time, Imprint Hope is inwards dire demand of therapy supplies in addition to fiscal assistance.
A donation makes it possible to get constructing Imprint Hope’s rehabilitation clinic. As good every bit for children with disabilities to have rehabilitation services, (i..e therapy 2-3 times a week); for a kid with a disability to sit down upwardly for the start fourth dimension inwards a wheelchair; for families to last educated on how to feed, hold, in addition to possess got tending of their kid in addition to for all to larn the invaluable potential in addition to beautiful purpose of every human soul.