Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Official Launch of the COMBRA Blog

COMBRA Blog First Post from the Director
Official Launch Date: Monday 29th, September 2008

Dear Friends-
Welcome to the Official Launch of the COMBRA Blog and Website during this exciting and dynamic time for our Organization. First and foremost we would like to take this opportunity to thank our donors, fabulous board members and all the volunteers for their continued support as we work toward our vision; A World Where All People Living with Disability have Equal Opportunities in Society. A special note of thanks goes out to our wonderful staff which has truly taken cause of the COMBRA to heart and infused it in all of their good work; thank you all!

COMBRA has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1990 as two inspired and driven young professionals from Uganda sought to return from their studies abroad and make a lasting difference in the lives of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Uganda. During a recent lunch, I fondly recalled how excited we were when the Organization obtained a log of some 4 meters to act as our official “gate” to the then COMBRA compound. It even came complete with Moses acting as the toll-man raising and lowering it as need be. Stories like these, along with the legacy and unwavering dedication of our founding members, continue to inspire and lead our staff today.

Times here at COMBRA are busy as the annual CBR Training has recently concluded and the drafting of a new 5 year strategic plan is fast approaching. This years training featured 17 students, taking on the rewarding challenges of the 18 week program. All have now emerged true members of the COMBRA family imparted with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate community work on a day to day basis. On behalf of COMBRA I wish them all the best as they press forward with their careers. We look forward to a close relationship with them all, as we continue to carry out their support supervision over the coming months.

The Organization is now preparing to enter into the drafting phase of a new 5 year strategic plan in October. Through this process we hope to reaffirm our commitment to making COMBRA a Center for Excellence in CBR as we pave the path to future success.

I would like to personally thank you all for your contributions in helping COMBRA achieve our many success in our quest to make Self Reliance a reality for all PWDs. We hope this blog will allow you to continue to track our progress as we continue our diligent work. Thank you and God Bless.

Sincerely,
Barbara Batesaki
Executive Director