13/11/2025
A long but important post!!
Dear Friends,
Together, we have built something extraordinary—a movement that has transformed the lives of children and youth with disabilities in Uganda and forever changed how their communities see, support, and celebrate them.
When Embrace Kulture was founded, our vision was to ignite inclusion—to help local leaders and families build systems that would last long after us. Thanks to your generosity and unwavering belief, that vision has been realized. There are now strong Ugandan-led organizations continuing this work, government policies that protect children with disabilities, and communities that champion inclusion as a right, not a favor.
Because of this remarkable progress, the Board has made the thoughtful and heartfelt decision to make our 10-year anniversary celebration our final event and to conclude all fundraising efforts at the end of 2025. It was not an easy decision, but it is one rooted in success and faith in the movement we helped build.
Over the past decade, Embrace Kulture has worked hand-in-hand with families, schools, and communities to advance the rights and inclusion of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Together, we have achieved the very goals we set out to accomplish: building a strong disability movement, supporting the creation of laws and policies that protect children, and shifting public perception from stigma to recognition and pride. What began as a small initiative has grown into a powerful, self-sustaining movement led by Ugandans themselves.
As we look ahead, we believe the most impactful next step is to fully transition to local leadership and support. Continuing to fundraise and operate from abroad could unintentionally allow the government to step back from its responsibilities instead of deepening its commitment. By ending our fundraising efforts, we affirm our belief that Uganda is ready for this next phase—and we honor the principle that true inclusion and sustainability come from within the community itself.
Embrace Kulture will continue to operate into 2026 to ensure that all funds remaining in our bank account go directly to Uganda. This funding will support the transition to local leadership and enable continued development of the disability movement. We will discontinue our donation platform as of December 31, 2025. If you are enrolled in automatic donation, these donations will not continue beyond this date.
Our final gathering in Massachusetts will be a joyful reflection of all that we’ve achieved together. Guests will walk through a series of interactive exhibits that tell the story of our journey—from the early days of awareness campaigns to national advocacy milestones. We’ll also be joined by Stephen Kabenge, who has been instrumental in the work of Embrace Kulture in Uganda. It will be a night filled with gratitude, music, dancing, and celebration. Please join us at this in-person celebration at 6PM on December 3 in Massachusetts. Tickets can be purchased online at www.embracekulture.org/event
While we know distance may keep many of you from joining us in person, please know that this milestone belongs to you, too. Every step of this journey—from the first students we worked with to the voices raised at the United Nations—has been powered by your generosity, compassion, and belief in inclusion. We are profoundly grateful for the community that stood beside us and made this movement possible.
With heartfelt appreciation,
Christa Preston and the Embrace Kulture Board of Directors
