Supporting People with Disabilities Across Uganda
With the success of the efforts of the Rotary program in Ethiopia, we have extended our efforts into Uganda. Our current focus is the Freidis Disability Center in Lira, Uganda. Lira and the region have survived a lengthy war. In the wake of this 22-year war, the Lira region is in need of basic human resources. The Denny Wilford Foundation has begun a program to assist the Freidis Center with hospital equipment so that the disability center can perform surgeries and birthing deliveries in safe and sanitary conditions, which are badly needed in the region. In August, 2018 our initial container of hospital equipment was delivered to Freidis. The local and national Ugandan officials stated that this effort would greatly improve the medical services in the region. Each year we continue to ship a container of medical equipment, other clinical supplies, community outreach items such as hygiene items like soap and dental products and, of course, soccer uniforms and soccer balls.
The Disability Center services are free to patients. Instead, funding is provided by the Freidis Day Care, Elementary School and Teachers' College, and people like you.
Empowering Lives. Restoring Dignity.
From Struggle to Stability: How Your Support Transforms Lives
About The Denny Wilford Foundation
A Mission Born from Experience, Fueled by Compassion
Since 2005 I have traveled to Ethiopia with Rotary International working toward the eradication of polio by vaccinating one child at a time with the polio oral vaccine. Just think one child at a time saved from a life of paralysis. It is important for me to personally give of myself. It's my time in life to get the message out that this crippling disease still exists today. The children in the world who still suffer from polio along with prevention and rehabilitation are the purpose of my Foundation. The eradication of polio is my passion. Traveling to Africa to improve the life of those affected is my mission. As a child I had polio and I'm often asked how my life was impacted. That is a difficult question for me because I didn't let it have a negative impact on my life. However, the truth of the matter is that it had a minimal impact on my life because I was fortunate enough to be born in the United States. I was given excellent care by family orthopedic surgeons and provided funding for surgeries by donations from organizations such as the March of Dimes and Orthopedic Guilds. My mother was a single mom with limited funds for raising myself and two brothers. It is now time for me to give back.
-Denny Wilford
You’re not just giving aid—you’re giving possibility.
When you support the Denny Wilford Foundation, you're doing more than supplying food, soap, or a wheelchair—you’re opening doors to education, independence, and dignity. Your gift helps individuals with disabilities reclaim their agency, pursue skills training, attend school, and access the care they deserve. It’s not just about meeting immediate needs; it’s about creating lasting impact and restoring hope where it’s been lost. Every donation plants the seed for a stronger, more inclusive future.
Where Your Donation Goes: A Look Behind the Scenes
The Denny Wilford Foundation is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization. All funding is provided through fundraising, solicitation and direct contributions from Denny Wilford. Denny Wilford finances nearly all administrative costs allowing beneficiaries to receive maximun benefit from your valued contributions.
-
Wheelchairs (multiple beneficiaries across villages)
Walking sticks (for the blind)
Arm braces / support structures
Cemented walkways and living spaces
Self-contained living space requested
-
Soap
Liquid soap
Toothbrushes
Clothes
Food staples
-
Scholastic materials (notebooks, pens, school supplies)
School fees (paid directly for several beneficiaries)
Soccer balls and uniforms
School uniforms
-
Polio vaccines
Medical treatment costs
Hospital support (e.g., transport, care funding)
-
Computer training program through local bookshop
Vocational development support
-
Plastering and cementing of kitchens, bathrooms, and walkways (e.g., Pamela Akuny’s home)
Improvements for mobility inside and around the home
Future diagnostic clinic (in planning phase)
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.