Lira, Uganda – The Pakistani Association of Lira City handed out food parcels to 201 people living with disabilities (PWDs) on Saturday, 7th March 2026, in a ceremony at the Lango Cultural Centre. The aid, valued at several million Ugandan shillings, is part of the community‑based charity that the Association has been running in partnership with local authorities and faith leaders.
A community‑driven effort
Sardar Muhammad Nawaz: Ateeq, the Association’s president, popularly known as “Akena” – said the distribution marks the latest phase of a long‑standing commitment to vulnerable residents of Lira and surrounding districts.
“For years the Lira City Council Hall and the East Division Headquarters have helped people with disabilities,” Ateeq told reporters while handing over the parcels. “We are grateful for that support and we will build on it, expanding our assistance to other districts in the Lango sub‑region as resources allow.”
Each package contained a package of : 2 kg of beans, rice, posho (maize flour), half a litre of cooking oil, sugar, salt and other essentials. The parcels were aimed at PWDs who have lost some of their legs, vision, hearing impairement or any other impairmentsas quoted by Odongo Ali in the Disability a
Act 2010.
The event was attended by a range of local dignitaries , the Muslim heads, Pakistani business community representatives, local leaders and the media.
Hon. Aisha Abdu, councilor for PWDs in the Lira City East Division and a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Disability League for women, praised the Association’s contribution as timely.
“This support helps fill a critical gap for our most vulnerable citizens,” she said. “We hope other private‑sector groups will follow this example.”
Francis Odongo Ali, Minister of PWDs for the Lango cultural institutions, thanked the Lango Paramount Chief, Eng. Dr. Moses Michael Odongo Okune, for his advocacy on disability rights within traditional settings. He urged that similar food drives be replicated across all districts of the Lango sub‑region.
The Speaker of the Lango Cultural Institution, Willy Omodo Omodo, highlighted the spirit of coexistence fostered by the donation. He conveyed the greetings from “Won Nyaci” of Lango cultural Institution Eng.Dr. Moses Micheal Odongo Okune to the PWDs who turned up for the eventm
“When a member of any community, be it Pakistani, Indian or Ugandan, comes to Lango, we welcome them as brothers and sisters,” Omodo said. “Their generosity strengthens our social fabric.”
Ateeq also noted that the Association has recently repaired boreholes in Otuke, Oyam, Lamwo and Dokolo districts, providing clean water to thousands of households.
Meanwhile, 55 learners at Lira Primary School are receiving free instruction in Islamic studies, including Qur’an memorisation, under the guidance of Imam Yusufu Balinda.
“When you help the poor, you earn Allah’s protection over your wealth,” Balinda said, referring to the Islamic principle of charitable giving (sadaqah).
The Pakistani Association announced plans to extend more assistance to the PWDs. Representatives from the Indian community also joined the delivery, underscoring a broader donation in the nearby future
“We invite other investors, business leaders and well‑wishers to join us in supporting the needy of Lira City,” he said. “All we do is a return of what the community has given us.”
The distribution, organized by the Pakistani Association and held at the Lango Cultural Centre, is being hailed as a model of grassroots philanthropy that blends cultural, religious and humanitarian values to uplift some of Uganda’s most vulnerable citizens.
