Indian festival fetches 275 pints of blood

In an interview on January 15, Ms Anita Halai, the vice chairperson of SKLPS, said as a charitable organisation, this is part of their annual blood donation drive and other outreach programmes that they undertake to benefit communities both within and outside Kampala. 

“Last year, we organised a medical camp in Tororo District together with our donors, Tororo Cement. We treated more than 4,000 patients who needed dental check-up, eye care, cancer screening and maternal health services, among others. In the future, we intend to focus on menstrual health, which remains a concern in many households within and outside Kampala,” she said.

Mr Manish Siyani, who chairs the SKSS Temple in Bukoto, said the community built a complex with various social services such as the Swaminarayan Temple, state of the art school that focusses on a local curriculum and a proposed future medical centre. 

The complex also boasts various sports arenas for different disciplines as part of the school development, which are meant to promote a blended mix of quality education and extra-curricular activities.

He added that with a membership of more than 2,500 followers, besides being a religious organisation, the community carries out various charities, which include the annual blood donation as a regular feature on their calendar due to the regular blood shortages in medical facilities across Uganda. 

He further said when they commissioned the Temple last year, they collected more than 300 pints of blood. 

Mr Suresh Patel, the chairman of SKLPS, said in 2022, in partnership with Mengo Hospital and doctors from abroad, they held a health camp that attracted more than 25,000 people at the Swaminarayan complex in Bukoto. 

They are also planning for an eye camp targeting patients who have eye disorders and ailments.

“Our focus will be to reach out to KCCA (Kampala Capital City Authority) schools before they break off for their holidays by sensitising them on the benefits of the eye camp,” he said. 

Mr Ramesh Halai, the chairman of Shree Sahajanand School in Uganda, said the school was built by the community and that it is not exclusive to the Indian community members only but also local communities. 

Currently, they boast of 736 students receiving high quality education based on the Uganda National Examination’s Board curriculum and the school fees are subsidised to encourage Ugandans to join and benefit from this facility. 

“The school charges affordable fees and at the same time ensures that the quality of education is not compromised. Bright children, who cannot afford the school’s subsidised fees, are additionally supported with bursaries. We are also planning to start the international curriculum soon, which will focus on extending professionally organised programmes,” he said.

In India, the kite flying festival signifies the start of the planting season in some parts of India or the onset of the harvest season in other parts of India.