The principal goals of our work in Bumwalukani include the following:

1. most crucially, to establish an effective system for the delivery of acute and preventative healthcare to members of this underserved Ugandan community;
2. transition from a system of triage healthcare to one of continuous care by implementing biannual well-child visits for the entire community, all the while monitoring key indicators of overall health;
3. achieve a marked decrease in pediatric malnutrition and in the number of underweight children in the community;
4. curb the devastating spread of common endemic disease caused by preventable microbial infections; and promote and sustain programs in health education, with particular focus on pediatric and maternal health initiatives.

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Clinic Opportunities

1. Shadowing FIMRC medical staff to experience first hand illnesses typical in this third world community.  Depending on a volunteer’s medical experience, a volunteer may choose to collaborate with Ugandan medical staff to treat patients with a variety of illnesses.
2. Assisting with taking patient histories, data entry and clinic organization
3. Data collection—compile statistics of the most common illnesses/symptoms seen at clinic and in community, so as to better serve the needs of the people
4. Assist with taking inventory of clinic supplies

 

Health Education

FIMRC’s medical clinic at Arlington Academy of Hope in Bumwalukani, Uganda is the only health care facility in the immediate area.  Health education is therefore needed in this community on essentially every health topic, including:  basic hygiene, water sanitation, HIV/AIDS, when to bring your child/loved one to the clinic/hospital, women’s health issues—breastfeeding, handling menstruation pain and how to know if something may be wrong with menstruation cycle, why people get malaria and symptoms to watch for, etc.!  The list is endless! 

FIMRC volunteers will first help to create health education lessons.  They will collaborate with education volunteers from AAH, health education books FIMRC has on-site, and creative ideas from health volunteers to create lesson plans.  We will then present health education lessons at the following:

1. Arlington Academy of Hope—Volunteers will help give weekly health lessons in the classrooms, and may also present health education at the weekly assembly in front of the entire school.
2. Other Primary Schools in the area—FIMRC has been asked to provide health education lessons to over 5 Primary Schools in the surrounding area.
3. Community groups—FIMRC has established a mother’s group for women’s health education.  Other groups include an HIV/AIDS awareness group, school-drop out group, life-skills group, traditional birthing attendants group, etc.  If a volunteer comes with an interest or background in a particular topic, we can set up a group that will benefit from the volunteer’s knowledge to meet for one lesson or a series of lessons, if necessary.

 

Mobile Outreach Clinics/Community Health Outreach

--Community—a qualified MD may take medications and supplies to conduct house visits.  This will be particularly helpful, as there are members of the community who are too ill to walk to the clinic.  There are homes scattered throughout the hills surrounding the clinic and hiking around the community to meet people and try to understand their ailments can be a moving experience.
--Orphanage—a qualified team of medical volunteers may take medication and assessment tools to orphanages, where medical care is rarely sought.  Volunteers without medical training will benefit from working in orphanages where help is desperately needed with basic everyday activities.  Listening to the children’s stories is also very interesting, as most of them have had parents die from HIV/AIDS.
--Conduct medical outreach surveys—visit households in village and conduct health surveys.  There are no statistics for this area that accurately covers the percentage of illnesses or major health needs.  Conducting surveys will enable FIMRC’s clinic to better serve the needs of this community, as well as give the volunteer a cultural experience of understanding a the typical medical ailments of this area!

 

Visiting/Working in area medical facilities 
(depending on medical experience of volunteer)

• BududaHospital
1. Women’s Ward—work with women who are hospitalized with a variety of diseases, including obstetrical complications, malaria (both pregnancy-related malaria and non-pregnancy-related), post-operative recovery, etc.
2. Outpatient Immunization Clinic—work with nurses to immunize children
3. Pediatric Ward—Work with children who are hospitalized with fever, respiratory illnesses, orthopedic complications, etc.
• MagaleHealthCenter—This is a hospital in a small town a few hours from Bumwalukani.  The Matron of the hospital is a Catholic Nun, named Sister Emily, who is eager to collaborate with medical volunteers from America.  Volunteer physicians and nurses can round with Ugandan medical personnel and assist with care on any inpatient ward of interest.  Non-medical volunteers can work in the laboratory with the lab technician.  The Ugandan government has also set up a TASOCenter at MagaleHospital.  (TASO=The Aids Support Organisation).  This is a center where volunteers can observe counseling and support for people living with AIDS. 
• BukigaiHealthCenter—This is a Health Center III, that is 30 minutes from Bumwalukani, which would benefit from volunteer assistance.
• Bunamutoro Children’s DayCareCenter—This is a nursery school and lower primary school that is interested in receiving help from our volunteers with health education.   This center is run by a man named Michael Wanitta, who is very enthusiastic about working with health volunteers.  Bunamutoro village is approximately 30 minutes away from Bumwalukani and has an excellent market on Mondays.

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The U.S. Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their personal security while traveling overseas.  For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/safety_1747.html.

We require the purchase of travel insurance by all people participating in the Global Health Volunteer Program; for your protection, your insurance policy must include medical evacuation coverage.

Availability of health care in Uganda is restricted to major cities, but demand is high and it can be expensive. While doctors and dentists are available throughout many areas of the country, the major hospitals are located in the main cities.  FIMRC’s Clinic is a primary care facility and able to treat volunteers up to a certain degree. 

FIMRC recommends Travel Safe or Atlas Travel Insurance for all of your travel insurance needs.  Alternatively, you can compare prices at www.insuremytrip.com
Insurance is a good idea for health reasons (illness or accident) but is also good as additional security in the case of cancellation or interruption of travel plans, lost or damaged luggage and travel delays. Keep all boarding passes, ticket copies and receipts for expenses paid during your trip if it later becomes necessary to file a claim.
If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses, it is advisable to bring an extra pair as well as cleaning fluid. Travelers should also carry an adequate supply of medicines and first aid accessories with them as supplies are limited in Uganda.

Approximately one-third of travelers to lesser developed countries become ill as a reaction to contaminated food or water. While volunteering, you should monitor your own health so that you can see the doctor right away if you show signs of illness.  In the case of malaria, it is much easier to treat when you detect it early. There are several health websites out there for travelers such as the ones established by the CDC, WHO and popular health journals. Most of the time through, if you get sick, it will be because of something simple like not washing your hands or drinking local, untreated water. Should you feel ill, please let the FOM and head nurse at the clinic know as soon as possible.

Many people can be unaccustomed to the heat in Uganda and suffer from heat exhaustion. We urge you to stay hydrated with bottled water (supplied for you as part of your lodging/boarding stipend). Fruit juice can have tap water added to it so watch out for this, unless bought bottled from a shop. Hot drinks such as coffee and tea are usually fine, as the water is generally boiled.

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Volunteers in Bumwalukani will be staying at the AAH’s Guest House.  Final arrangements will be determined by FIMRC’s Field Operations Manager and AAH’s ground staff.  The Guest House is able to accommodate up to 12 volunteers and is a twenty minute walk down the hill from the AAH school and FIMRC clinic and shares the same compound as the school’s teachers. 

This sites provide breakfast and dinner everyday as well as laundry services.  Beds and mosquito nets are also provided by AAH.  Please remember this is a remote, rural village, and plumbing is not readily accessible. Outhouses are located on both grounds, and you will be provided water in which to take “bucket” showers.  Should you wish to have an actual shower, you could bring a camping Sun Shower, which is filled and heated by the sun, hung and used like a regular shower.  These can be purchased at most camping stores.

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The vaccination requirements change from year to year, based on the health situation of the country. 

A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required. All visitors should take malaria prophylactic drugs.  The recommended top three are Doxycycline, Malarone, and Lariam.  It is also advised that all travelers be vaccinated against meningitis, Typhoid and Hepatitis A & B.

Each participant needs to have health insurance that covers travel overseas.  If present coverage does not extend to outside the country of origin, participants must purchase health insurance for the time spent in Uganda.

Please remember to bring sufficient personal medications, if needed, for the entirety of your time away from home.

Avoid bites by using mosquito repellent and a mosquito net. Bilharzias is present in some lakes and still-water ponds so swimming is not recommended except in designated areas.

For further information, please contact your physician, local or state health department, or U.S. Department of Health Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) International Traveler's Hotline at (404) 332-4559 or the CDC Fax Information Service at (888) 232-3299. Please refer to the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for updates on outbreaks and vaccination suggestions via www.cdc.gov.

 

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For international travel, a U.S. passport, valid for at least six months from the date of departure, containing at least two blank pages, is necessary. Please note: pages reserved for amendments and endorsements cannot be used for visas.

Visas can be obtained in advance from the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda. Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda or the Ugandan Permanent Mission to the United Nations, telephone (212) 949-0110. Also, see the US State Dept’s Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on Uganda and other countries.
The Embassy of the Republic of Uganda
5911 16th Street,  N.W.
Washington D.C., 20011
Tel. 202 726 7100

Internet site: http://www.ugandaembassy.com
e-mail: ugembassy@aol.comApproximate

Visa Fees:
Single entry visa for Uganda is $50, lasting 3 months
Multiple entry for Uganda is $90, lasting 6 months

Please use the following information on your visa application form:

Arlington Academy of Hope                                         
Field Operations Manager
Bumwalukani Village                                                    

Ms. Laura Harwig
011-256-774-386-417
Bududa District

Important Notes: Tourist cards will be provided on board the aircraft prior to landing. Be sure to keep the yellow copy, as it will be requested upon departure. Visitors from any country must hold tickets and other documents for onward or return journeys. Immigration officers are very strict on this regulation. If passengers arrive without meeting this requirement, they must buy a ticket or they will be deported, at their own expense, on the first available flight.

 

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 We estimate the costs for a two-week trip to be the following:

• Airfare approx: $1100 to $1700 (variable, dependant upon travel dates & season)
• In-country transportation: $250 (6 hours by taxi from Kampala/Airport to clinic site; cost shown is for roundtrip travel)
• Housing/food: $280 ($20 per day; includes three meals daily plus break tea)
• Program donation:
• 2 week stay: $500
• Each Additional week: $150

(Long term placements negotiable)

• Spending money: $150 (minimum recommended amount for personal items or souvenirs purchased in Kampala or Mbale)

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The Project Bumwalukani Team

The following staff members have been closely involved in establishing the clinic and volunteer program in Uganda.   Feel free to contact them directly with further questions:

 

Geoffrey DeLizzio
FIMRC Executive Director
Geoffrey.delizzio@fimrc.org

Geoff oversees FIMRC projects, coordinating between domestic and international project staff. Additionally, Geoff spent the fall of 2006 on site in Bumwalukani furthering the development of the clinic and volunteer program.

Laura Harwig
Field Operations Manager, Uganda
Laura.harwig@fimrc.org

Laura handles all logistical FIMRC issues in Uganda, and works closely with clinic staff, community members, and the volunteers to maximize the impact of the clinic in the community.

Amy Hessing
Former Field Operations Manager, Uganda
Amy.hessing@fimrc.org

Amy was the Field Operations Manager in the Uganda clinic in the spring of 2007. Amy helped implement the volunteer program and is familiar with clinic staff and volunteer responsibilities.

Sara Schoenleber
VP for Volunteer Programs, Global Health Volunteer Program
sara.schoenleber@fimrc.org

Sara is presently the main coordinator for the Global Health Volunteer Program, handling all stateside logistical issues. Sara works with volunteers to provide basic information about travel.

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