RAPCD schools were created for blind and deaf children, who before were isolated from society and were seen as useless.
Thank God for people like Rev and Mrs Maali Wilson who see the potential in disabled children. They view them as special in God’s eyes. Their own son, Kihembo, has cerebral palsy, so they understand the challenges of bringing up a child with disabilities in a hostile environment, with no support. In 2005, they formed the Rwenzori Association of Parents of Children with Disabilities (RAPCD), with a small handful of like-minded parents and guardians to provide mutual support.
In 2010, supported by ACT, the RAPCD primary school for deaf or blind children was opened in Kasese, western Uganda. It began with 15 pupils, one of whom was Jeremiah, who is blind, and the school consisted of one primitive building.
From this humble beginning the school grew and it now has a complex of buildings for nearly 200 pupils, most of whom are deaf or blind. Some of the students have a severe physical disability which prevents them from accessing education in a village school. There is now a water supply and sporadic electricity. This school is also a beacon for children with disabilities and their families in the whole Rwenzori region.
356 disabled children are attending RAPCD's schools this year. More than 90% of these children were not able to go to school before.