Jan 2020 blog

Happy New Year – 2020

The New Year often heralds the tradition of making New Year’s Resolutions in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behaviour, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life. Great idea however studies have shown that less than 25% of people actually stay committed to their resolutions after just 30 days, and only 8% accomplish them

So, if you have made any New Year resolutions these tips may help you to be in the 8%!

Tips to Help Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Work

• Write down your goals and not the expectation of others.
• Break a large goal into smaller achievable parts.
• Track your progress daily and reward yourself for your successes.
• Make it public
• Create routines that support your goals
• Tell friends and family about it
• Be accountable

Make the commitment and success will be yours.

KHC Recognises Staff

 Much of KHC’s success and achievements is because of the contribution that its staff make to supporting our clients day in and day out. It is often very difficult to single out individuals and recognise them for the contribution they have made. However, we would like to congratulate the following staff who have been recognised and selected by their peers.

In 2019 The Employee of the Year was awarded to Baguma Twine Godfrey

Godfrey is KHC’s transport officer. One of his key responsibilities is to transfer daily the children staying at New Hope Children’s Hostel for their oncology treatment at UCI and then back to the hostel. He is also on call for any emergencies.

He is a warm, conscientious and enthusiastic about his work. He goes that extra mile to help our clients particularly when there are limited resources. He is dependable and knows all our clients and has a special relationship with the sick children and their caregivers.  “I love my work and I am very happy to be in a role where I am able to assist these children who are having to deal with so much in their young lives.” Baguma said.

He is a worthy recipient of 2019 Employee of the Year.

We also included two new staff recognition awards. They are:

2019 Best Manager Award which was awarded to Diana Nkuruziza.

Diana is the Quality Assurance Manager and is head of the Monitoring and Evaluation section. She monitors KHC projects and in 2019 most of the targets were met. She also mentors project implementers, and ensures accurate documentation of the work done. She has initiative and looks at ways that the processes can be made more efficient, she identifies gaps and brings them to the attention of Management for a quick solution. Diana is self-motivated, dependable and ensures donor reports are submitted on time. Diana is a good manager and has a successful team. “I love my work and want all of us at KHC achieve together” Diana says.

 

 

2019 Community Volunteer Award was awarded to Kwikiriza Monica.

Monica has been a major contributor as a community volunteer with the successful Defeat TB project. She conducted TB sputum collection in the community, linked clients to KHC for enrolment and treatment and she followed them up. She makes sure that all the people she talks to are able to come to clinic for investigations, counselling, and HIV testing. Her sensitization and mobilization skills have meant she has reached many people who have then been able to access treatment. “She was one of the volunteers who continued doing her work even when the project funding had run out.” Gerever, the Project Manager recalls.

With her follow ups, client’s feel cared for and valued. “I felt very happy because I did not expect the award, some of my friends discouraged me from working so hard but I did not want to see people not being followed up as it would mean that our efforts would have been wasted and it would be upon us to repeat the work”. She says.

Congratulations to all our award recipients. You reflect what is important in our organisation to provide care to those less fortunate in our communities.

Christmas Gift Certificate Campaign

Thank you to all those people who purchased Christmas Gift Certificates for their friends and family. The campaign ran for 4 weeks and we raised over 2 million shillings which will be used to support the basic needs such as food and medicines for the children and caregivers at the New Hope Children’s hostel.

One of the recipient’s Carlie said of her Gift Certificate – “Wow! this is such an amazing present – thank you”.

We plan to continue to promote giving Gift Certificates for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays or anniversaries. Often it is the lasting gifts, the ones that can make a difference that are the ones that are remembered.

Children Enjoy Yoga Class

If you have not experienced Yoga, it is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing. The main components of yoga are postures (a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility) and breathing.

Recently Ritu Pandya, a YOGA teacher from USA was visiting her daughter who lives in Uganda and she paid visit to KHC. She was introduced to us through the International Women’s Organisation. Ritu gave a 45 minutes yoga session with the children and their caregivers at the hostel.

They thoroughly enjoyed it and Rita introduced a friend who in future will be coming to the hostel to conduct simple yoga exercises with the children.

Many of you who have visited KHC know about the yoga exercises that are conducted each morning by a member of staff before the clinic opens. I suggest the staff may be able to get some new postures from the children.

 

Sustainable Business

KHC is looking at ways that it can develop sustainable businesses to ensure that it has a regular income stream to provide services that many of our clients could not afford if they had to pay for them and would therefore go untreated.

Our tailoring business over the past couple of years has been one of our success stories. The business has reinvented the types of products it produces and one of the items that is proving successful both locally and internationally are our conference bags.

“Placing orders and dealing with Kawampe is simple, professional, reliable  and the service and quality excellent. On all three occasions (2017-2019), we have received our large order (in 2019, 3000 bags delivered to  Berlin, Germany) within budget and on time. 

Our delegates like:

• the high quality, of the handmade bags
• the range of material and beautiful colours
• the practical nature of the bags which can be used after the congress
• the fact that they are supporting palliative care development in Uganda

We are exceptionally happy with the service provided and I would not hesitate to recommend the services of  the Kawempe Home Care Team.” 
 Julie Ling Chief Executive Officer European Association for Palliative Care

If your organisation is planning a conference and you want the delegates to have a memorable conference then our bags will be a beautiful lasting reminder. Obviously we can also personalise the bags and include your logo.

Ruth our Skills  Development & Empowerment Manger will only be too happy to provide you with a quotation. You can contact her at bfe@kawempehomecare.org

Some examples of the work we produce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public Activities Planned

Some important dates coming up are; World Cancer Day on the 4 February and International Childhood Cancer Day on February 15. The theme for these days is “I am, I can”.

As we have mentioned in previous blogs, cancer in Uganda is one of the major medical problems with 7000 children diagnosed each year (according to Uganda Cancer Institute) with only 7% of these children having access to treatment. The key to fighting this disease is early intervention and access to oncology treatment.

Another important KHC event is “The Good Walk” which is to raise funds for KHC services. This event will take place in the second half of the year. We will be encouraging everyone to take part either as a participant or as a sponsor.

KHC has set itself some major goals in its 5-year Strategic Plan and to achieve these outcomes will require the continued dedication and support of our staff and volunteers but also partners and friends. I hope you will continue your journey with us.

 

Food for Thought: (or anything that provides mental stimulus for thinking)

 

 

As always, we are interested to hear from you. So please leave a comment below. It is important that we know what sort of information you would like to hear more about.

 

Until next time….