I have known Barungi since 1995 when I met her on my first visit to Uganda. An orphaned girl, her mother having died from an asthma attack, she had been brought up until age 11 in a rural village: obviously intelligent and eager to learn, she moved from the village to live with her uncle John in Kampala and he was able to pay tuition fees enabling her to attend one of the better schools in Uganda. Barungi passed 'A' levels (equivalent to Yr 12) by the time she was 21 having been withdrawn from school on several occasions when there was no money available to pay her school fees.Barungi was six months pregnant when we met again in 2005: she had previously carried a child full term but lost it during birth when she had to be treated herself for cerebral malaria and the infant was stillborn. The following year, she again became pregnant and carried a child full term.
On that occasion she gave birth to an apparently healthy baby, but the medical team dropped the child on the floor of the delivery room and it died of injuries sustained. When I caught up with Barungi in 2005 she told me she no longer trusted doctors or hospitals and intended to have this baby in the village with traditional birth attendants. I was concerned, because from her history it seemed there may be complications for her during the birth that would not be managed in the village setting.
I was able to fund her to have a safe delivery in a hospital used by wealthier Ugandans and ex- pats and she safely delivered a son. (In 2009, she safely delivered a daughter and has decided that two healthy children will be where she and her partner ‘stop’ with the advice of family planning.)
On that occasion she gave birth to an apparently healthy baby, but the medical team dropped the child on the floor of the delivery room and it died of injuries sustained. When I caught up with Barungi in 2005 she told me she no longer trusted doctors or hospitals and intended to have this baby in the village with traditional birth attendants. I was concerned, because from her history it seemed there may be complications for her during the birth that would not be managed in the village setting.
I was able to fund her to have a safe delivery in a hospital used by wealthier Ugandans and ex- pats and she safely delivered a son. (In 2009, she safely delivered a daughter and has decided that two healthy children will be where she and her partner ‘stop’ with the advice of family planning.)
Barungi is currently in final year, through evening study, of a business degree at Makerere University - she has managed to pay her university fees entirely through savings from her small home based business and with the support of her partner. At age 30, to get to this level of education has not been easy for her but her sheer determination will see her graduate in 2011.
John Bigyemano adopted me as his 'sister' in about 1994 when I was a social worker in London Borough Newham: he is a journalist, long time community activist in consumer affairs, former TV political talk show host/commentator and a real estate agent. I met him in Uganda in 1995 on my first visit and we have become committed friends and 'family' since then!
A special little girl, Moreen
Moreen turned up at John Bigyemano's home with her father when I was staying there in 2005. It was immediately apparent that both were unwell. Her mother had recently died of an AIDS related illness and her father's appearance suggested he may also have the AIDS, although he had not been tested. The child aged five, was well below expected height for her age, and her swollen belly indicated possibility of worm infestation and possibly other illnesses. She was completely apathetic and withdrawn. Her father agreed to be tested for HIV and to have Moreen tested. My contacts with TASO proved invaluable and I was able to get both seen by a doctor and for tests to be undertaken. Sadly, both tested HIV positive - the father with an AIDS diagnosis due to various opportunistic infections and the child also with worms and other worrying indication of opportunistic infection.
This family was indicative of the many thousands seen by TASO: extreme poverty, virtually illiterate, unaware of the implications of HIV other than fear of dying and not linked to clinical services close to their home where they might access AARV's (anti retro-virals). Father and child were linked to a TASO regional service and they started eventually on AARV's. Sadly, he has since died but Moreen, five years on, is alive and improving with regular medication.
Back in 2005, she had no toys at all, had never seen water running from a tap nor taken a shower! Along with another small boy also visiting from a village setting, they experienced a shower for the first time and were initially 'terrified' but then enjoyed it so much they sought showers more than once a day!
Moreen's face tells it all: when given a football, she held onto it for dear life and carried it everywhere with her.
John Bigyemano adopted me as his 'sister' in about 1994 when I was a social worker in London Borough Newham: he is a journalist, long time community activist in consumer affairs, former TV political talk show host/commentator and a real estate agent. I met him in Uganda in 1995 on my first visit and we have become committed friends and 'family' since then!A special little girl, Moreen
Moreen turned up at John Bigyemano's home with her father when I was staying there in 2005. It was immediately apparent that both were unwell. Her mother had recently died of an AIDS related illness and her father's appearance suggested he may also have the AIDS, although he had not been tested. The child aged five, was well below expected height for her age, and her swollen belly indicated possibility of worm infestation and possibly other illnesses. She was completely apathetic and withdrawn. Her father agreed to be tested for HIV and to have Moreen tested. My contacts with TASO proved invaluable and I was able to get both seen by a doctor and for tests to be undertaken. Sadly, both tested HIV positive - the father with an AIDS diagnosis due to various opportunistic infections and the child also with worms and other worrying indication of opportunistic infection.
This family was indicative of the many thousands seen by TASO: extreme poverty, virtually illiterate, unaware of the implications of HIV other than fear of dying and not linked to clinical services close to their home where they might access AARV's (anti retro-virals). Father and child were linked to a TASO regional service and they started eventually on AARV's. Sadly, he has since died but Moreen, five years on, is alive and improving with regular medication.
Back in 2005, she had no toys at all, had never seen water running from a tap nor taken a shower! Along with another small boy also visiting from a village setting, they experienced a shower for the first time and were initially 'terrified' but then enjoyed it so much they sought showers more than once a day!
Moreen's face tells it all: when given a football, she held onto it for dear life and carried it everywhere with her.You will find in the posting about TASO and in 'How You Can Help', an indication of the value in donating to the work of TASO or, in supporting completion and operation of the Ojama Health Clinic: TASO provides essential services to men, women and children infected with HIV/AIDS and in addition to providing and administering ARV's has a variety of education programs including youth based programs to help in the prevention of HIV infection. Ojama Health Centre when completed will include a safe maternity delivery suite and excellent pre and post natal care for rural women and their babies.
While visiting Serere, I met Denis Omiat and some of his extended family. (Denis is the rather earnest young man crouching in the front row in this picture- he had just completed a ward round in the hospital/clinic where he was the (unqualified but amazing) doctor.
Support for orphaned children to complete secondary education
Sherinya was 14 when I met her with her brother John. Both are orphans and have been supported financially for a number of years by a benefactor in the UK who has paid for school fees and books. By 2009, the same benfactor had continued to pay for her university fees and assist her and her brother with a multitude of other daily expenses: I delivered her a computer on my recent visit, gifted by the same generous person: she was by now, in her final semester of a Business degree at Makerere - one of Uganda's leading universities.
Sponsoring a young person to complete education leaves a lasting legacy not only for the individual, but also for the community in which they live. You will find in 'How You Can Help' an indication of the costs involved in supporting tuition fees for a child to complete school, and a young adult to complete tertiary education.
Safe water supply in Serere
Safe water supplies still remain a scarce commodity in rural Uganda: this one, in Serere district, North-Eastern Uganda was financed from a group in the UK.
Safe water supplies still remain a scarce commodity in rural Uganda: this one, in Serere district, North-Eastern Uganda was financed from a group in the UK. Safe drinking supplies not only help inhibit water borne diseases but mean that women and girls (mainly) no longer have to walk several miles, several times a day to draw water from unclean water holes. Fetching water from the safe local wells, helps ensure girls get to school on time each day.
You will find in 'How You Can Help', an approximate estimation of the cost of sinking one well to serve a small community.
While visiting Serere, I met Denis Omiat and some of his extended family. (Denis is the rather earnest young man crouching in the front row in this picture- he had just completed a ward round in the hospital/clinic where he was the (unqualified but amazing) doctor.Support for orphaned children to complete secondary education
Sherinya was 14 when I met her with her brother John. Both are orphans and have been supported financially for a number of years by a benefactor in the UK who has paid for school fees and books. By 2009, the same benfactor had continued to pay for her university fees and assist her and her brother with a multitude of other daily expenses: I delivered her a computer on my recent visit, gifted by the same generous person: she was by now, in her final semester of a Business degree at Makerere - one of Uganda's leading universities.Sponsoring a young person to complete education leaves a lasting legacy not only for the individual, but also for the community in which they live. You will find in 'How You Can Help' an indication of the costs involved in supporting tuition fees for a child to complete school, and a young adult to complete tertiary education.
No comments:
Post a Comment