Nsobola Okukola

Nsobola Okukola.

I can work.

As we end the week of meeting with partners I am completely overwhelmed by the need I have seen. From newborn babies to adults everyone is in need of simple and significant help. I am having a hard time with the reality that I cannot save everyone in Uganda by myself, but I am noticing this will be a hard pill to swallow. HOWEVER, I CAN WORK.  I can work now and do little things and make an impact.

We have finished up our week of partner meetings by meeting with IUIU or Islamic University In Uganda where we discussed the need for community outreach for the health clinic they have started, teacher training in their primary school, and entrepreneurship workshops for their teachers. One thing that I have noticed as we have met with partners is nobody just does one things. If someone has a school- they usually also have a health clinic. If you have a clinic you have community health outreach programs. If you have health outreach programs you have entrepreneurship workshops. This happens because the need is so great here that trying one solution does not fix the community. For me this means that I will have more and more opportunity to use skills I have attained in working with youth and elderly people even the zoo has come in handy! I have learned that if you have any skill at all it is needed in Uganda. So come!!!

We are hoping to set up some basic teacher training workshops for the primary (elementary) school. Samantha, a volunteer, and I are hoping to start awareness for children with learning disabilities. There are no programs  or trainings to help teachers recognize learning disabilities. There is a Phenomenal movie that Jaeda my roommate showed me… Taare Zameen Par … which you can watch the whole thing on Youtube if you want to check it out. But that is a movie based on a child who suffers from dyslexia and is passed through teachers until one teacher notices the problems and takes action. The Indian education system is similar to Uganda and hopefully they will identify with it. We hope to encourage them to notice those on the outsides. We have yet to develop a complete project proposal but the education system is in such need of help. Without an education these children have little hope to have a life with basic needs met.

We also met with Dr. Jan White of Joy Hospice Clinic in Mbale town. It the only clinic in Mbale and surrounding districts (or counties back in the US) that offers palliative for elderly patients. There are no geriatric doctors or specialists outside of Kampala and that is a 4 hour taxi ride from here which no one can afford. She is a doctor that moved here from the UK and took over and 80% pay cut to open and run a clinic. She herself is almost 70 and just took a fall so is seeing patients while using two crutches. Her clinic also sees all other patients because she cannot turn anyone away so instead of just geriatrics they see everyone children, births, adults, AIDS care, you name it she does it. There are several on my team that are interested in medicine and have certifications that they will try and help alleviate some of her burden.

We also took the time to meet with Sam at FDNC, the Foundation for Development of Needy Communities. They also are a great organization. Sam has given many talks around the world about developing communities but he actually comes from Mbale. His organization mobilizes community health promoters, helps women start savings groups and small businesses, and helps with women empowerment. Again… what don’t they do?!?!?

My head is full of ideas and my heart is full of compassion. Now it’s time to put my feet to work.

Meanwhile If you have any project that intrigues you that you have ideas for send them my way! Also remember that I am fundraising throughout the summer for not only my expenses but also for individual projects if you want to donate to them specifically go the www.Help-International.Org just be sure to put the project or my name in the donate box!

Also if you want to follow posts from my team on Instagram look up #HelpUganda or #HelpIntl2014 to see what Help is doing worldwide this summer.

Love,

Your Muzungu.

ps thanks to my team for the pictures. I promise I will be better! There is so much to see that I forget to take a picture! Luckily they all remember! :)