A 17-year-old mute girl, who cannot remember the location of her home, is currently stranded and worried about her fate.
Christabel Namazzi, is now in the care of St. Paul Catholic Church in Mukono Municipality.
She was referred by medical workers from Mukono General Hospital. She could only write her name and a few other details.
Police found her unconscious along the road on December 6 last year and taken to the hospital.
According to Namazzi, her parents are Samuel Muhonjo and Katana Mwinda, and her two sisters, Bianca Namakula and Aisha Khalid.
Despite this, she remains unable to remember her exact whereabouts or provide any helpful information about her home, only mentioning she comes from Entebbe.
Fr. Paul Ssebitoogo, St. Paul’s Parish Priest, explained that the girl was left in the care of the church after no one came forward to claim her following her recovery at the hospital.
Medical staff familiar with the church, knowing of its mission to assist those in need, referred Namazzi to the church, hoping for a resolution.
“She can write in both English and Swahili, but she can’t speak,” Fr. Ssebitoogo said.
“When we tried to take her to Entebbe, she couldn’t locate her home, even though she said that’s where she’s from.”
The church has worked diligently to support Namazzi’s psychological wellbeing, with counselors ensuring she receives necessary care.
Through therapy, Namazzi has been able to recall some fragmented memories.
She mentioned seeing a man who arrived in a vehicle, handed money to a maid at the gate, and instructed her to enter before driving off with the girl.
Namazzi also remembers receiving a piece of cake from the man, after which she lost consciousness.
Her restricted life, where she rarely ventured outside, has compounded her inability to identify landmarks or remember key locations.
Despite these challenges, she expresses an eager desire to reunite with her family.
Fr. Ssebitoogo emphasized the church’s commitment to finding Namazzi’s parents and home, but they have been unsuccessful in identifying any leads.
“We have circulated her image and details to various police stations around Greater Kampala, but we are still waiting for any new information. We urge anyone who might recognize her or know her family to get in touch with us,” he appealed.
In cases like Namazzi’s, the church often assists homeless children in reuniting with their families, but when this is not possible, they are referred to children’s homes for further care.
For now, the church continues to care for Namazzi, holding hope that her family will soon come forward to reclaim her.
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