about us

Nerima Health and Education Services

The inspiration: The inception

Nerima is a relatively common last name in eastern Uganda. It is also a maiden name. The inspiration of Nerima Health and Education Services (NHS) stems from one woman who carried that name. One who defied all odds having been born in a typical polygamous homestead. Shortage of resources, an absence of value of a girl child or perceived irrelevance of education for a girl/woman were a norm. Nerima, Yemima Joyce like she was called, born in 1936 was no exception to the norm. She faced the fate of dropping out of school when she was in Grade 1, and typically shortly thereafter, the value of the girl child was appreciated as she could be “cashed” in for a bride price through early marriage.

This was not Nerima’s destiny. But fight she had, to pave another path. And yes, she could only do this through someone who could listen to a vulnerable, underprivileged girl. And this was to come through a man, a brother, a change maker, an advocate–Mungoma Buyi. And he took her on, seeing not the gender or underprivileged, but rather the wittiness, the resolve, the dream, and the possibilities for a fair future.

Mungoma took up his kid sister and educated her. And excel she did. Later only to get married to her childhood sweetheart and be blessed with 6 children. She as a teacher and later him as a bishop, they happily started raising their young family. But only for a short while. With her husband brutally murdered and remains never found, she was to start a pathway to raising 6 children. I will spare you the details, but with six children, no running water in the house, no electricity and no phone? We can all imagine what it would take a single woman to raise her six children. And yet – yes, she did! With all children achieving tertiary education.

Given the dire employment opportunities, the six – yes, over time, all six children migrated to two different countries. Sacrificially, she let them loose, to explore the world. Plunging her into another “loss” of family members albeit for the sake of their future. Annually, the children and eventually grandchildren too visited her – until late in Dec 2019 when she was very ill. She was treated. Improved. Discharged. Diagnosed with terminal cancer shortly thereafter and the race for seeking (palliative) terminal care was on, in the midst of Covid 19 Pandemic and lockdowns. Shortages of basic services for terminal care quickly became apparent.

With the six children circumstantially denied access to their ailing mum – (international travel restrictions and lockdowns) the medical personnel, family and friends closer to her rallied to fill the void left by biological children absence. Community took good care of Nerima until she was called by the Lord in June 2020. In the 3 months preceding the burial (October 2020) as all awaited the presence of the children for the burial, the sense of loss and grieving was brutal. For someone who had sacrificed so much – and defied the odds, she could not just be forgotten. She would have to be laid to rest graciously; be remembered honourably. In a way that reflected her person – Her dream. Her passion. Her experience.

A girl. A woman. A spouse. A mother. A teacher. A friend. And later a patient.

What better way than to start an organisation in her memory! A non-profit organisation. To re-focus on the life of a “Nerima”. As a pathway to foster more “Nerimas”

“Nerima Health and Education services” – Incorporated in Canada October 01^st 2020.

It’s all about one word – “Opportunity”

There are many ways of offering the next “vulnerable” person an opportunity. Let’s do something about it!

Explore our website, follow us on twitter, Facebook, Instagram, become a member, attend the meetings, volunteer and work with us. What we have witnessed, who we are working with, what we have achieved to date and what we envision doing. It’s emotional!

Tears of PAIN, JOY, HOPE!