When you do good to people, you get blessings and rewards in ways that you can’t imagine. Most importantly, you don’t need to be rich financially to help those in need; all you need is to be rich in heart.
Wilson Dhabangi, 74, and Rebecca Mukyala are now reaping the fruits of being good Samaritans. Dhabangi and Mukyala have been trending on social media in recent days after Henry Mutebe gave them a surprise of their lives by flying them to Nairobi, Kenya aboard Uganda Airlines.
Mutebe, who is the Apprenticeship Coordinator at Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, shared the story on his Facebook page detailing how the two good Samaritans gave him the best care after his father died yet his mother worked so hard to sustain him and his other three siblings. At times, Mutebe’s mother, Jane Baitanunga, would spend weeks away from home.
In the story that got many people across the world emotional, Mutebe said he was now saving money to build a decent house for Dhabangi.
To Mutebe’s surprise and joy, Uganda Airlines Thursday, September 16, 2021 launched a fundraising drive to raise US$100,000 (about UShs350m) to build decent houses for Dhabangi and Mukyala.
Addressing the press at Uganda Airlines Sales office along Jinja road in Kampala, Doreen Nambatya, the Acting Sales and Marketing Manager at Uganda Airlines, thanked Mutebe for choosing to fly the most important people in his life on Uganda Airlines.
“Uganda Airlines is not only about flights, but also changing people’s lives. This is why we are taking the lead to build a house for Dhabangi and Rebecca,” Nambatya said, urging people to always have good hearts and help fellow human beings in need.
She urged Ugandans to borrow a leaf from Mutebe and fly their loved ones to various destinations using Uganda Airlines.
“Come to Uganda Airlines offices or contact us through online platforms and surprise your loved ones. We have affordable rates and the best customer care,” Nambatya said.
She also thanked Rebecca for being a ‘mother’ to Mutebe.
“Most of us take care of our own children but Dhabangi and Rebecca took care of someone they are not related with (by blood),” she said.
Speaking at the same fundraising launch event, Mutebe said he received numerous calls from Uganda and abroad after he shared the story that left many people with tears rolling due to the emotional nature of the story.
Mutebe said some people questioned his decision to fly the two to Nairobi instead of first building houses for them. He revealed how Dhabangi always visited him at school when his mother was far way-working to sustain a young family.
Although his poor and not educated, the old man, then in his 50s wore worn-out slippers, had no shoes, and wore the same shirt as he visited Mutebe.
“All the children at school knew him as my father. Some children would bully me that ‘your father is old and rides a bicycle.’ Sometimes he carried a half kilo of ground nuts prepared by his wife, other days he simply came to talk to me…He told me that if I worked hard and listened to teachers, I would fly in planes and travel to different places. He said if I succeeded, then even people like him who never got an education would perhaps have an opportunity to fly. For whatever reason, he always emphasized the issue of flying,” Mutebe said.
He added that Dhabangi chose to first fly before building the house.
“For 24 years, I have always felt a debt in my heart for the love this man gave me. I wanted to give him a surprise. For the last one year, I have been saving money to make this happen,” he said.
Mutebe thanked Uganda Airlines for the good care given to him and his four people he flew out with.
Dhabangi thanked Mutebe for not forgetting him. He also thanked Uganda Airlines for the good care. Dhabangi is married with 12 children. However, his children didn’t go far in education because their father didn’t have money. Dhabangi says he has 100 trees of coffee that support him financially.
On her part, Rebecca thanked Mutebe for the surprise gift.
“I looked after many children, many are not mine but some don’t appreciate. I thank Mutebe for the good heart,” she said.
She added that they are friends with Mutebe’s mother.
“We have been friends for a long time. She doesn’t feel bad when her son (Mutebe) is helping us. Some people would feel bad but she’s very okay with it (Mutebe helping them),” she said.
To contribute towards Building a house for Dhabangi and Rebecca, use the following channels;
MTN: Dial *165*3# Merchant Code: 318487 Reference: BUILD
Airtel: Dail *185*9# Merchant Code: 1191804 Reference: BUILD