Jaja Club in Nakaseke
Through their involvement in the community, Gabriel and Aida realized a lack of support for the elders living in Nakaseke. Many elderly people (jaja in Luganda) were living in poverty, social isolation and suffering from untreated health conditions. They found elders who were sleeping on the floor, some who had been neglected by their families, others who were widowed, and disabled. They recognized that many of the issue facing the jajas could be solved by interaction and support from one another.
Gabriel and Aida sprang into action to organize a gathering of Jajas at ACCESS. They used the ACCESS bus to collect individuals from all over Nakaseke, and brought them to ACCESS to share a meal, receive medical consultation and examination, and identify needs that ACCESS could address in their home settings.
The jaja were overjoyed to spend time with one another and be heard by those at ACCESS.
Today, Aida and Gabriel continue to work with the jaja through home visits, and support for basic needs (food, clothing, bedding, etc.) They are looking for more ways to support the jaja, and plan to bring them together at ACCESS again in the future to foster relationships and wellbeing among Nakaseke’s most vulnerable seniors.