ROWAN’S DOWN SYNDROME AWARENESS CENTER (RDSAC)
Rowan’s Down syndrome Awareness Center (RDSAC) is a registered Ugandan NGO dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and adults with Down syndrome and their families. Based in Hoima City and serving the Bunyoro sub-region and beyond, we are building a future where every person with Down syndrome is valued, supported, and empowered to live a full and meaningful life.
Across Uganda, an estimated 50,000+ individuals live with Down syndrome. Many face stigma, limited access to healthcare, and inadequate support systems. RDSAC exists to change that reality.
Our Foundation
In 2018, Mildred Katusabe, a proud Munyoro from Hoima, welcomed her son, Rowan. A few weeks later, she learned that Rowan had Down syndrome. Like many parents, Mildred and her husband, Christopher Cripps, found themselves on an unexpected journey, one filled with questions, uncertainty, and the need to learn how best to support their child quickly. As they navigated the realities of raising a child with Down syndrome, they faced both emotional and practical challenges, including ensuring Rowan received the specialized care he needed. One of the most difficult moments was supporting him through a life-saving open-heart surgery in India. Through it all..
“We decided to try to bring people with Down Syndrome together for mutual support and therapy, creating awareness in the communities that people with DS are not “Zonto”, but have full lives like any other person…”
– Mildred Katusabe Cripps, Executive Director and Founder RDSAC
Today, Rowan’s Down Syndrome Awareness Centre (RDSAC) exists to raise awareness, provide support, and build an inclusive community where every child with Down syndrome is valued, supported, and allowed to reach their full potential.
We’re at the forefront of advocacy, care, and empowerment across Hoima, Masindi, Kikuube, and the wider Bunyoro region.
We envision that the 50,000+ people with Down syndrome in Uganda become independent, self-sufficient, and generally accepted by society, overcoming the stigma and daily challenges that they and their families face.
To create and run a national/regional centre of excellence, providing high-quality and affordable services that will ultimately show how people with Down syndrome in Bunyoro, Uganda, and East Africa at large can lead normal and full lives.
