Gulu Disabled Person's Union

GULU DISABLED PERSONS UNION (GDPU)

GDPU is an umbrella organization of persons with disabilities. The umbrella encompasses; the Association of the blind, the Association of the deaf, the Landmine survivors, and the Association of women with disabilities. It was founded in 1992 by persons with disabilities. GDPU operates in the Gulu City and Gulu district in Northern Uganda. GDPU has structures that run from the district level, the sub-county level, the parish, and the village level. There is an association of PWDs at every sub-county/Division level which acts as a link between the district union and the members at the parish and village levels

VISION

A society where there is dignity for every person with disability.

MISSION

To empower persons with disabilities to improve their quality of life through advocacy for equal rights, capacity building, and sustainable livelihoods.

GDPU has been offering skills training for youth with different forms of disabilities since 2008, over 1000 youth with disabilities received employable skills training in areas of craftwork, leather works, hairdressing, carpentry, welding, bakery work, electronic repair and maintenance, mechanics, arts and decoration, etc. This has helped many to live a dignified life in our community. Currently, GDPU is implementing a two years project on skills training for 50 youth with different forms of disabilities, the project is being co-funded by ETCofPWD and UKAid (FCDO) The project will be implemented from 2021-2023 For more info click

Since 2017 up to date, ABSF has been funding GDPU in areas of provision of wheelchairs to children with physical challenges in Gulu and surrounding districts of Amuru, Nwoya, Omoro, and Gulu District. through the project, GDPU was able to reach out to 80 children and mothers who are in need of a wheelchair to live a dignified life in their community.

GDPU is one of the few organizations in Uganda who have achieved from sports and physical literacy for children with different forms of disabilities, the organisation is the first to form teams for Wheelchair Basketball, Deaf Football & Basketball team, Goal ball team and showdown team in the region. GDPU has seen positive impact in the lives of her sports and physical literacy athletes and beneficiaries in areas of physical and mental health, self confidence, self esteem, efficacy of participants and their social well being in the community.

GDPU past Sports projects and donors

• Inclusive Disability Sports (IDS) with funds from Motivation Charity Trust UK, The Kids League Uganda and Comic Relieve UK. 2012-2014
• Inclusive Sports for Children with Physical Disability with funds from USAID through BlazeSports America 2017-2019
• Inclusive Sports with funds from FCDO (UKAID) through Motivation Charity Trust UK 2021- to date.