December Blog 2020

What a Year!

2020 has been a year that held a few surprises and the one that has been felt throughout the world is the COVID-19 pandemic. This virus knows no boundaries, rich or poor, developed or developing countries. It has however impacted the older population more than younger people.

Currently it is not a virus that can be controlled but, it can be managed. Hopefully in the near future a suitable vaccine will be available to all.

There is a lot of news about Europe and the USA experience with COVID-19, particularly how there has been a big increase in the number of new infections each day. In Uganda with a population of over 45 million, the cumulative number of current confirmed cases is 25,059 with the total COVID-19 deaths at 219 (Source Ministry of Health). Many restrictions still remain however we have had previous experience with pandemics and understand how important it is to manage this virus.

There is a lot of news about Europe and the USA experience with COVID-19, particularly how there has been a big increase in the number of new infections each day. In Uganda with a population of over 45 million, the cumulative number of current confirmed cases is 25,059 with the total COVID-19 deaths at 219 (Source Ministry of Health). Many restrictions still remain however we have had previous experience with pandemics and understand how important it is to manage this virus.

At Kawempe Home Care the staff has been very diligent to ensure our facilities are following Ministry of Health Standard Operating Procedures (SPOs) for infection prevention and control of COVID19.  This is very important, as you know we help many clients who are not only disadvantaged but also have compromised immune systems through having TB or cancer or HIV/AIDS.

COVID19 has brought a number of challenges to the organisation including; increased demand for PPE and cleaning materials, increased food prices, increased transport costs for the staff, fear and anxiety of infection and general uncertainty about the future. We are really thankful to the Elma foundation for the $10,000 dollar grant for COVID19 emergency response relief  which supported the organisation to maintain operations during the Covid19 lockdown.

Tuberculosis -a Continuing Battle  

Uganda is one of 22 high TB Burden countries in the world with about 5,000 TB related deaths a year. (WHO 2010).

Mary our TB community Supervisor says  “The strategy of Static ratio station at the village level helped us as a community team to sensitize more people about TB and Covid19. I would move with two colleagues to visit different health facilities to do support supervision and mentor health workers as well as allocating TB clients to a health worker for follow up and information  given not only on TB but Covid19.

 Fred is 20 years old and lives with his parents and 4 siblings and was diagnosed with TB of the spine in 2018. He suffered from continuous back pain and went to medical centres but saw no improvement. He found it difficult to walk and sit.

KHC under the Defeat TB project was conducting community sensitization and screening in Fred’s community.  His mother was a known ISS patient (HIV positive) who also had TB and who had been getting treatment but defaulted.  They were accessed and Fred also had TB. With the help of the community team under Defeat TB, contract tracing, CB DOTS were conducted with the family and they received counselling. Fred and his mother have successfully completed their treatment. Fred with his Completion Certificate. 

Wonderful Support from our Partners

We are also pleased that we have renewed cooperation agreements with some of our donors and we thankful to them for maintaining the funding during these difficult times. We are implementing the following projects:

– Kampala HIV Project funded by CDC/PEPFAR to provide treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS with a focus on Key Populations who are the main drivers of the pandemic.

– USAID Defeat TB project which aims to increase TB case notification, case detection, and treatment outcomes through health system strengthening to end TB epidemic in Uganda.

– Open Society Initiative for East Africa: To support paediatric palliative care advocacy and organisational strengthening.

– Elma Foundation: General support for the organisation to provide medical care, education support, psychosocial support to vulnerable children and youth with cancer and affected by HIV/AIDS.

– Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice for supporting our home based palliative care program and the orphans and vulnerable children’s program through the sales of KHC beads and bags.

– We also appreciate the American Cancer Society for the support given for Patient Hostel Strengthening during the past 3 years and the organisation development capacity building through the SOURCE program.

 It is very easy to focus on what is happening in our own little world however, I would like to share with you a good news story of hope and a brighter future for one of the little children on our program.

Ative on the outside looks like any other young 9-year-old girl who goes to school, is happy being with her friends and family in her community and just enjoying life.

However, on the inside Ative has had to battle cancer of the kidney. In 2018 she became very weak and suffered from fevers and swelling. She was finally sent to Mulago Hospital and the UCI unit diagnosed her cancer. She was operated on and the affected kidney was removed. She then had chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment and during this treatment was able to stay at the New Hope Children’s hostel with her mum.

Her mother remembers: “I felt distressed, anxious and helpless during that time as I did not understand how serious my daughter’s health was and we received little emotional and financial support from my husband who abandoned us. During Ative’s treatment I was very relieved that we stayed at the New Hope hostel as we had our accommodation, food and transport provided. It was a home like environment and I think it helped my child’s healing. For me I could share my experiences with other caregivers at the hostel and I could speak with a social worker.”

Ative is back home with her mother, grandmother and two siblings and she goes to the hospital for a review every 3 months. Life is still difficult for the family but they are very happy to have Ative getting better and back home.

There’s no question that Christmas will definitely look different in 2020.

Will your gift giving be different this Christmas?

The Covid19 pandemic has shown us that we are much more connected and reliant on each other than ever before.

While we enjoy giving gifts and receiving them, there is now so much ‘stuff’ we are given and giving that we don’t use, or use once and forget about it.

Why don’t we shake things up this festive period?  

Give a gift that makes a difference and that people will appreciate.

It is simple. GlobalGiving Gift Options.

You can buy a gift card and the recipient then redeems it for a project that matters to them. Hopefully they choose our project! (Project Name: Help Poor Children with Cancer to Access Treatment.)

Or, you can make a donation in honour of someone special and a card can be sent to say that you have donated to Help Poor Children with Cancer to Access Treatment project.

This is a gift that keeps on giving and won’t be wasted.

Monthly Donor Drive 

Our Aim to get 10 new Monthly Donors

A key issue for our families that are accessing treatment for their child’s cancer is transport. If the child is not having daily treatment but longer appointments, the family needs to have transport back to their community and then back again for the treatment appointment. Many families cannot complete the treatment due to this cost.

Our aim is to get 10 new monthly donors to help these families.

A GlobalGiving anonymous donor has agreed to match 200% of new monthly donations to partners, for the period Monday 14 December through to Friday 18 December. If you decide to contribute a monthly donation the first donation is matched up to $200!

For example, if you set up a new $25 monthly donation in that week, GlobalGiving will donate an additional $50 to the project one time. The match is only applied to the first donation in your monthly series. Your monthly donation must last for at least three months after the initial donation (a minimum of four donations total) to qualify for the match.

REMEMBER: donations are tax-deductible in the US, or UK taxpayers can give in GBP and claim an extra 25% if Gift Aid eligible.

 To find out more about these options go to: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/keeping-poor-children-with-cancer-alive-in-uganda/

Thank You!

Kawempe Home Care recently received a grant from a wonderful lady – Ceri from the USA and the funds will go towards supporting the hostel and an amount allocated to vocational/skills training for young mothers who have no source of income for themselves and their children. This was a wonderful gift with lasting benefits to our clients.

As you know we are partnered with GlobalGiving and have been involved in several fundraising promotions this year. Through the fundraising campaigns we have been able to raise over US$10,000  and the proceeds help towards keeping the children’s hostel open. This has been a wonderful effort by individuals throughout the world.

We would also like to appreciate the many private donors from the USA, Australia, United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Austria for the wonderful support that you have provided to KHC during this year. Your support has enabled us to get through this difficult year.

Our New Hope Supporter’s club members continue to support the hostel with money and in kind donations of food and clothing.

A Special thanks to our local supporters.

Standic Bank Uganda recently provided food support for the next two weeks for the children at the hostel. It is a wonderful Christmas gift. We thank the management and staff of the Stanbic Kawempe branch.

 

 

Pastor Kenneth and Pastor Brenda on behalf of the Healing Water Church also provided food support for the New Hope Children’s hostel.

 

 

To all of our wonderful friends and partners, a big THANK YOU for your support especially throughout a very difficult 2020.

Even though life for many is challenging at the moment it is also important to reflect on the good things we have in our lives and not just the materialistic things. This time of the year has different meaning for different people. Christians draw strength and comfort on the significance of this time of the year, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time when family and friends, if restrictions permit, to celebrate the festive season together.

There will be many people who will be doing it tough, the homeless, the sick, the unemployed and those struggling to keep families together. We need to reach out and do our bit to help those around us.

 To our Board I would like to say thank you for your inspiration and support throughout the year and also to the staff and volunteers who day in and day out provide our clients with love and support especially during such difficult times. An organisation relies on good governance and staff and volunteers that go that extra mile. We are pleased we have both.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family and friends a safe, happy and joyous Christmas and wish for a healthy and harmonious world in 2021.

God Bless

 Dr. Samuel Guma

1 thought on “December Blog 2020”

  1. Dear Dr Samuel and the Kawempe Home Care Team, I am delighted to have found you this last year through a wonderful friendship group. Your work is worthwhile and your spirit and energy are inspiring. And yes, I agree that when there is so much hardship all around us, we need to remember the good things in our lives. I am delighted to be part of the extended Kawemepe Home Care family and look forward to contining to be part of the family and to supporting the hostel and its activities.
    With warm wishes and blessings for a safer and more secure 2021.
    Ceri

    Reply

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