Community Focus International implements four strategic programmes that promotes disability inclusion, dignity, independence, and equal opportunity for all.
To improve the lives of children, youth, women, & persons with disabilities through inclusive, sustainable programs that promote dignity, opportunity, & lasting positive change.
A better world in which persons with disabilities and the community realize their full potential in a way that respects people’s rights and dignity.
From hardship to hope the story of Ben Ocan
Ben Ocan, the Founder and Executive Director of Community Focus International (CFI), grew up in a polygamous family with eleven siblings. During his childhood, his father neglected them, leaving their mother to raise the family under very difficult circumstances.
As they grew older, Ben and his siblings were often forced to stay in other people’s homes, moving from one household to another in search of food and basic needs. This hardship exposed Ben to child labor at a very young age. At just 12 years old, he was subjected to heavy domestic work, including brewing alcohol, where he experienced severe mistreatment and physical abuse — painful experiences he only found healing from later in life through his faith.
During the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency that lasted over twenty years in Northern Uganda, Ben, his siblings, and their mother lived in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. The conflict left a profound mark on his life. He recalls a traumatic moment when he lost four classmates in a single day.
“My friend Odongo was still talking after the rebels had hit and smashed the back of his head. The image of my friend is still fresh in my mind as the community tied him on a papyrus mat and placed him on a bicycle to rush him to the hospital, but he died on the way.” Ben Ocan, Founder
To date, Northern, Eastern and West Nile has not fully recovered from the effects of the two-decade insurgency. Many people who were maimed, raped, or orphaned continue to suffer its long-term consequences.
These life experiences inspired Ben to found CFI in 2017, driven by a passion to support vulnerable children and adults with disabilities, and the household members who care for them.Â
Guided by our Strategic Plan 2023–2027, each programme addresses a critical barrier facing persons with disabilities in rural Uganda.
We craft customised wheelchairs and assistive devices, promoting independent mobility and fostering inclusivity and dignity across communities in Oyam and Lira.
In rural Oyam and Lira, we unite all children in shared classrooms regardless of ability aligned with SDG 4 and including the Alternative Basic Education (ABE) programme.
Through Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs) and livelihood training, we help PWDs build financial independence and active roles in their communities.
Ensuring persons with disabilities have equal access to health services, clean water, and sanitation removing barriers to dignified, healthy living in our communities.
Discover the positive change we’ve created through our programs, partnerships, and dedicated efforts. From healthcare and education to environmental sustainability.
Providing essential healthcare services and resources to communities.
Providing essential Education materials and resources to communities.
Provide nutritious food assistance to persons with disabilities across all community levels.
Meet the passionate individuals driving our mission forward, committed to creating meaningful change and building a brighter future for all.
Discover the transformative impact of our initiatives through key figures that highlight the progress we’ve made together in empowering communities and changing lives.
we are a community-based organization committed to promoting inclusive and sustainable development in Northern Uganda.
We advance inclusive development through programs in health, education, assistive technology, livelihoods, and disability inclusion.
We empower vulnerable communities, especially persons with disabilities, to access opportunities, improve well-being, and participate fully in society.
we advocate for equal rights, access to services, assistive devices, and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in community development.
You can support us through partnerships, donations, volunteering, advocacy, or collaborating on community development initiatives.
A charity nonprofit organization advancing the rights, dignity, and well-being of Persons with Disabilities in Uganda and beyond.
