Gladys Kalibbala

Gladys Kalibbala- The Story of an Unprecedented Hero

Growing up, the tales of masked heroes with incredible superpowers defeating evil villains were always cemented into our heads with admiration and amazement. Furthermore, Merriam Webster defines a hero as “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.” Everyone knows the stories of these extraordinary superheroes. However, Merriam Webster also defines a hero as “a person admired for achievements and noble qualities; one who shows great courage.” The stories of these seemingly ordinary people who fit this description are much less well known. They are everyday heroes, changing the world in smaller ways. One such hero is Ugandan journalist Gladys Kalibbala. She uses her Saturday news column, entitled, “Lost and Abandoned” to help children find their way home. Every week, she publishes profiles of lost or deserted children who need financial aid, medical care, a safe home, or even just information on the whereabouts of their parents or relatives. Kalibbala doesn’t have superpowers, so she uses her column as a platform for powers that everybody has the ability to access: kindness, empathy, and perseverance. Gladys Kalibbala is a compassionate person who works tirelessly to rescue children in detrimental situations, provide them with the resources they need to thrive, and make a positive impact in their lives; by doing so, she has proven to the world that even ordinary people can be influential heroes.

Though Kalibbala came from humble beginnings, she was taught to be considerate of others. In Garden of the Lost and Abandoned, Jessica Yu, a director and writer who spent many weeks shadowing Kalibbala, provides vivid details about Kalibbala’s early life. She was born in the early 1960s in Entebbe, Uganda. Kalibbala was the oldest of many children, so her overwhelmed mother sent her to live with her grandparents when she was four years old. She received a respectable education and lived in a peaceful and stable home. However, when she was 17 years old, her grandfather passed away, so Kalibbala was sent back home. While the family was mourning, her alcoholic father returned and sold Kalibbala’s mother’s house, along with all of their possessions. This left her family homeless. They were able to cram into two small rooms to live in, but her mother stopped working. So, Kalibbala had to drop out of school and get a job. As the oldest sibling, she became the provider and the mother figure for her family. Throughout her childhood, Kalibbala learned to care for the people in her life using whatever resources she had and by doing whatever she could to ensure their safety. With a limited education, she tried working a number of jobs to help support her siblings, and eventually kids of her own. After many failed business attempts, she decided she wanted to get more of an education, so she attended a two-year media-communications program. Kalibbala soon found herself with a job as a journalist at one of the largest media companies in Uganda: New Vision. When one of her editors offered her the chance to publish a weekly column in the newspaper about the children in Uganda, she jumped at the opportunity and eagerly accepted. Through her writing, Kalibbala has inspired many readers to help those who are less fortunate. 

The story of one child with a serious medical condition, whom Kalibbala helped, effectively identifies the compassion she uses to endure the struggles to save these kids and change their lives for the better. In her book, Jessica Yu provides a detailed account of the challenges in Kalibbala’s interaction with a young boy named Ezra. Ezra was experiencing severe swelling on the right side of his face. Growing up, his family was ignorant of his needs and treated him disrespectfully. They refused to care for him and did not offer funds to pay for any treatment. His family, along with the people in his village, looked at him with fear and disgust (Yu 63-69). Among all these obstacles, Kalibbala knew the most difficult hindrance to overcome would be gaining the respect of Ezra’s family. Even if she was his only advocate, Kalibbala felt determined to help Ezra get the medical attention he needed. She pushed forward with her mission, and soon produced a small victory: after running his profile in her column along with a picture of his swollen face, she was able to get some donations to finance Ezra’s operation. Once his surgery and recovery were complete, he asked Kalibbala to take him to visit his family. When they saw his face, they believed that a miracle had happened. The whole village marveled at Ezra’s new look (Yu 72-73). Finally, Kalibbala had accomplished getting his relatives to see Ezra in a new light. Gradually, he earned their respect and started to believe in himself. Kalibbala saved Ezra’s sense of self-worth by showing him that he was worth her time and effort. Kalibbala’s use of her ordinary job to create a prolific network of supporters for lost children had a lasting impact on Ezra’s life because it enabled her to fund his treatment, which led to rebuilding his difficult relationship with his family into a positive connection. Additionally, Kalibbala influenced his childhood experience by providing him with an adequate education and a comforting home: “Now Ezra was a young man, working to complete his primary education. For six years Gladys had supported him at boarding school, fretted over his marks, and welcomed him for holidays” (Yu 74-75). Kalibbala’s acts of kindness had an immense effect on Ezra’s future. Her constant backing and encouragement gave Ezra what he had been searching for: a family that would love him unconditionally. Even after his surgery was complete, Kalibbala did not give up on Ezra. Therefore, after she conquered challenges involving his financial and emotional support from his family, she succeeded in healing Ezra’s relationship with his village and had a positive effect on his life by providing him with a valuable education. 

The situation of another child, Trevor Masembe, shows Kalibbala using her empathetic view of life to resolve challenges, rescue the boy, and find him a suitable place to live. The most significant difficulties that Kalibbala had to process were Trevor’s disabilities and his abandonment. Kalibbala promptly published this profile in her column: “The six-year-old, who seems to be paralysed on one side of the body, said he was taken to the [Katalemwa Cheshire Children’s] home by his mother. Unfortunately his condition can not allow him to speak for long. Katalemwa home handed him over to the Kawempe Police for assistance” (Yu 22). Trevor’s difficulty communicating made it very difficult for her to figure out where his family was or how to contact them, which complicated the situation. Nevertheless, she kept searching for a place where he could settle down and have a more peaceful childhood. According to Yu, Kalibbala managed to secure him an adequate education at Entebbe Early Learning School, after animated campaigning for Trevor’s admission (Yu 28). At last, she accomplished her goal of finding Trevor a safe house and learning environment. She hoped that he could start to feel at home in his new surroundings. Her perseverance past the challenges she encountered allowed her to succeed in giving Trevor a chance at a better life. Though he was adjusting at his own gradual pace, Trevor soon found happiness: “At his new school, Trevor found his joy in the form of a football… Just the sight of it could lift his eyebrows and stretch his mouth into a wide triangle, a grin that was somehow both mischievous and innocent. And then he would be off, his wake of dust masking the drag of his leg” (Yu 28). Kalibbala understood that Trevor would need a home that would give him the space he needed to find his place in his surroundings. Her decision to send Trevor to Entebbe Early Learning School put him in an environment that accepted every part of him, including his disabilities. Her empathetic approach to Trevor’s needs allowed her to find the perfect home for him. All in all, despite struggles along the way, Kalibbala managed to find Trevor Masembe a suitable home and stable education. Evidently, her tireless efforts caused a heartening change in his life. 

Kalibbala had an experience with the Kakuru family that tested her dedication with many complications, but she still managed to save the lives of their newborn babies and beneficially impact their lives. In short, this large family of 11, including newborn quadruplets, went through a lot. One article, published by the Universal Access Project, displays what seems to be an interview with Kalibbala herself, in which she depicts her interaction with the Kakurus. She remembers this family as one of her most influential cases: “Although I have changed the lives of many families through my stories, Mary Kakuru’s experience is one that left an indelible mark on me… She had given birth to quadruplets and could not afford to pay the hospital bill” (“Gladys Kalibbala”). Kalibbala knew she would need to find lots of financial support for the family if she was ever going to be able to help them out. Luckily for the Kakuru family, it wasn’t in Kalibbala’s nature to give up when confronted with a problem. However, Gladys recalls many more conflicts that soon arose: “[Mary Kakuru] telephoned me, saying one of the babies was in a critical condition… We rushed her and her babies to the health center, where the clinical officer diagnosed the baby with pneumonia. While at Kakuru’s home... I observed that the babies were not being kept in a warm place and lacked blankets” (“Gladys Kalibbala”). With obstacles appearing at every turn, Kalibbala was having trouble keeping up. Now, she needed to gain even more donations to provide clothing and blankets for all the children. With an even bigger goal to accomplish, Kalibbala had to work very hard to combat the family’s growing financial issues. At last, a solution presented itself: “I penned another article in New Vision, explaining the family’s situation. A group of readers teamed up and supported Kakuru with food and milk for the babies. The supply continued to come in on a monthly basis until they turned three years old” (“Gladys Kalibbala”). Kalibbala’s persistence with her writing allowed her to succeed in procuring a steady stream of financial aid for the babies. This accomplishment propelled her a lot closer to ensuring the stability of the Kakuru family. Because of her persistent efforts, all of the quadruplets survived their medical complications and were able to receive an education: “The quadruplets are now five years old and in school. I still visit the family once in a while to give them essentials” (“Gladys Kalibbala”). Throughout the Kakuru quadruplets’ rocky childhood, Kalibbala supported them and fundraised for their needs. In this case, her persistence meant the survival of four innocent children, undoubtedly having a significant effect on the whole family. Consequently, Kalibbala’s actions throughout her encounter with the Kakurus displayed her compassion for others in how she handled the challenges in her way and how she ensured the wellness of the kids.

All in all, Gladys Kalibbala demonstrates her heroism by overcoming challenges to rescue kids who are caught in difficult circumstances, help them get the care they need, and consequently having a beneficial effect on their lives. Thus, she inspires other ordinary people to give back to their communities and become everyday heroes themselves. The most significant examples of Kalibbala’s compassionate nature and heroic acts of kindness are embedded in the stories of two children and one large family. Kalibbala helps Trevor and Ezra by finding them an education and loving home at Entebbe Early Learning School. With the Kakuru family, Kalibbala assisted them by communicating their distressing situation to her readers, who generously donated funds and supplies to help the family get by. Without all of her aid, Kalibbala’s children wouldn’t have had the resources they needed to design better futures for themselves. In 2014, Kalibbala acknowledged the difference she was making, “I have so far profiled over 400 children in this project, where I have helped in [placing] more than 60 of them in schools” (“'Lost Children' Reveal Need to Support Families – and Women”). Kalibbala knows that child abandonment is a large problem in Uganda, but every day she combats the growing number of orphaned kids. Since she saved that many kids in 2014, imagine how many kids she has rescued by now! Moreover, her heroic efforts constantly inspire those who hear her story to realize that they have the power to benefit their communities. The lives of many people can be powerfully impacted by seemingly insignificant good deeds, such as volunteering, donating, or even just assisting a neighbor. These kinds of compassionate acts are what an everyday hero can inspire others to partake in. Gladys Kalibbala’s story has helped me realize that I do not have to be a superhero to change the world. I now believe that everybody has the power to make a difference, including me. We all have the potential to be kind, understanding, persistent, and much more. We just have to find our own superpowers.

Works Cited

“Gladys Kalibbala,” Universal Access Project, United Nations Foundation, universalaccessproject.org/essays/gladys-kalibbala-2/ .

“Hero.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hero.

“'Lost Children' Reveal Need to Support Families – and Women.” United Nations Population Fund, 15 May 2014, www.unfpa.org/news/%E2%80%98lost-children%E2%80%99-reveal-need-support-families-%E2%80%93-and-women .

Yu, Jessica. Garden of the Lost and Abandoned: the Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Woman and the Children She Saves. Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018.

Works Consulted

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Brendan Dowling. “Jessica Yu on Gladys Kalibbala and the Value of the Small Act.” Public Libraries Online, November 14, 2017  publiclibrariesonline.org/2017/11/jessica-yu/.

“Garden of the Lost and Abandoned by Jessica Yu.” YouTube, uploaded by HMH Books, October, 19th, 2017. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSmx27bZOmQ

“Gladys Kalibbala,” Universal Access Project, United Nations Foundation, universalaccessproject.org/essays/gladys-kalibbala-2/ .

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“'Lost Children' Reveal Need to Support Families – and Women.” United Nations Population Fund, 15 May 2014, www.unfpa.org/news/%E2%80%98lost-children%E2%80%99-reveal-need-support-families-%E2%80%93-and-women .

Misconception. Directed by Jessica Yu, performance by Kyra Sedgwick, Hans Rosling, Denise Mountenay, Bao Jianxin, and Gladys Kalibbala. YouTube, produced by Participant, April 20, 2014. www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLN6haw6qZ0 .

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Yu, Jessica. Garden of the Lost and Abandoned: the Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Woman and the Children She Saves. Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018.