Over the next few months we will be sharing with you activities from all the five different countries AOET is operating in.

Here is AOET Uganda’s Child centered Programs in the last 1 year:

AOET Uganda centers on the child – the whole child. And in an environment of poverty, disease, and vulnerability, education is one of the most important predictor of a child’s growth and future economic certainty.

At AOET, education is an integral part of every program and activity.

Child Welfare

Through Child Sponsorship funds, over 500 students in the Jinja and the surrounding districts are able to attend school regularly. Although Uganda recently adopted the policy of Universal Primary Education (UPE), government schools are often overcrowded, under-staffed, and charge additional fees (teacher fees, lunch, uniform, etc). As a result, many children are still unable able to afford school. Through AOET’s sponsorship program, sponsored children have their school fees and supplies paid, which allows them to attend consistently throughout the year. Children who are sponsored are orphaned by one or both parents or are labeled as “vulnerable” due to various circumstances. This year, the number of AOET’s sponsored children has expanded to reach out to over 800 OVC, 300 of whom are in northern Uganda.

After primary school, moving on to secondary school is difficult in Uganda. School Fees are higher, schools are fewer, and many students are not able to continue due to poor performance on primary exams especially last year. Yet, secondary school is so important when it comes to a successful education. Graduates of secondary school can move on to University and obtain higher paid jobs in the future. This year, AOET has sought to increase the number of secondary students sponsored. This comes as a challenge because sponsors are more likely to select younger children when looking at profiles. Additionally, AOET must put a larger percent of sponsorship fees toward school fees and less toward the overall wellness of the child.

Only 3% of Uganda’s population attend Tertiary Institutions; many will go on to be leaders in their communities and Uganda. AOET has several university students being sponsored currently and more have completed their Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) and are waiting to join university in August, 2009. One of our university students, Mukazungu Justine is going for her final semester at university and will graduate this year.

For those students unable to attend secondary school, vocational training is a viable option for acquiring skills and ensuring a means of future income. This has especially been the case in places like Lira in northern Uganda. After many years of being held as child soldiers or being unable to attend school because of fighting, formerly displaced families are returning to their homes and schools are opening. But many of these children are too old to return to school or even start school. Learning a trade, such as tailoring, farming, or welding, provides them income-generating potential for the future. This year AOET has 40 students in vocational training in Lira.

In November 2008, several sponsored children sat for their final examinations at various levels: Primary Leaving Examinations(PLE), Uganda Certificate of Education(UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).

The staff at AOET is excited to announce that all the 33 PLE candidates passed and qualified to join high school; yet the general overall performance countrywide was poor, with over 80,000 children failing countrywide. Three sponsored children excelled at district and country level: Mulungi Timothy (Shilo Nile Star Primary School), Ssebale Jamil (Rehaboth Integrated School ) and Ganate Edison (Rehaboth Integrated School) scored fantastic first grades. From the recently released UCE results, Ingabire Jane (Gayaza High School), one of AOET’s sponsored children, was among the top students at national level scoring aggregate 12 in the best eight subjects! We want to say BRAVO to all our sponsors,donors and partners for making this happen.

Child Welfare is much more than sponsorship and school fees, however! This year AOET staff took a new look at how the WHOLE child is doing. Through home visits using a new form and database, Child Welfare staff and volunteers have been collecting information on the children in AOET’s sponsorship program: where do they live, how is their health, who do they live with, what is the family’s source of income? This information will help AOET know more about how each child is benefiting from AOET’s program and assist as AOET continually improves its services. We also plan to do trainings for OVC care for all guardians of our sponsored children this month.

Empowerment

Vocational training and income generating potential is what the Empowerment Program at AOET is all about. It supports children in 2 ways: Provides earning potential for guardians of orphans and vulnerable children and for older children unable to complete secondary school

Tailoring classes are operating primarily in 2 locations currently: Lira (northern Uganda) and Bugembe (Jinja District). The courses continue for a period of one year. Every Tuesday is dedicated to supplemental business development classes, covering planning, budgeting, costing, marketing, saving, etc. AOET staff is looking at how they can assist these women to acquire relevant skills and select businesses that have a strong market where they live and operate.

Rehaboth Integrated Schools

Rehaboth Integrated Schools have been growing by leaps and bounds!

This was the first year that Rehaboth Integrated Primary School was fully registered with the Department of Education AND the first year that students were qualified to take the Primary Leaving Exams. 29 students took the exams in early November. The week before the exams, the school community and AOET staff celebrated the students and sent them off confident and ready to perform well! In January we received the results and were THRILLED to hear that all 29 students passed, 2 in Division 1 and 23 in Division 2! and 4 in division three Even more thrilling was the fact that the 2 with the highest marks were sponsored children (see above)!

Another first was the graduation of the first Preschool Class at RIS. The school staff combined the graduation with the speech/performance day for the rest of the school. It was a fantastic day of celebration and talent!

On the ninth of February, Rehaboth Integrated high School will have its first day of school! The principal and staff have been working tirelessly to make sure everything is ready for its opening - from building completion to digging latrines; from hiring staff to painting offices and more! The school is located in Njeru, adjacent the the Children’s Fostering Village.

It will not only serve the community around Njeru, it will provide schooling for children in the village.

Njeru Children’s Village

Families living in AOET’s Children’s Village are bringing orphaned children into their homes and making them part of their family forever. While living in these homes, both fostered and natural children have their school fees paid by AOET. In order to do this, AOET has placed children from the village on a priority sponsorship list, and several more have been sponsored this year. In December, the village celebrated the gift of these children with their annual Children’s Day: speaker, games, dancing & food! It was a day to remember!

One child who stands out is MULUNGI TIMOTHY.

Timothy comes from a humble family of 4 children. Their mother is a housewife, and their father is a farmer. The family is now fostering 2 more children and are residing in Njeru Children’s Village. He is the last born in the family and is12 years old. He is a brilliant boy and his headmaster at Shilo Nile Star Primary had this to say, “Timothy is very serious with his books and once supported through school, he is a future engineer or doctor.” Well ,we now realise how serious he is. he emerged among the top students at his school scoring 9 aggregates-fisrt grade. We wish him the best !

AOET - Uganda Rural Health Program Laboratory

The AOET - Uganda Health Center continues to work with rural communities - providing HIV/AIDS Education/Awareness and treatment. Hundreds of people are treated weekly, and thousands have been reached with medical care this year!

The Following pictures will give you a window into the facilities that we have, some of the Staff and the people that we’ve served through our rural outreaches and the daily work at the health center.

Featured Staff:

	This is Emmanuel.             He is one of the two Laboratory Technicians that have been with our Medical outreaches for over 4 years. Emmanuel does all our HIV, Malaria,  TB, … testing at the Health center and and all the rural Health Laboratory work.
	Loyce (in green) and Fred (in a white Gown) have been with AOET for three years and Manage the Pharmacy.  They go on mobile Clinics to the Villages twice a week and dispense drugs 3 days a week at the AOET Health center!
	This is Fred at his Pharmacy Window.
	This is Monica            Monica is our clinical officer. She works hand-in-hand with our Doctors and has been with AOET’s rural Health programs for about 3 years.
	This is Solomon.           Solomon is one of our HIV/AIDS counsellors. He also does registration (together with other Officers) of Patients that come to the Health center (if they are new) or screening through which patients need emergency care and those that don’t.

These are some of the Health center personnel that work long hours providing care for mainly AIDS Patients, going into remote villages doing Health education, Home based AIDS Care… This year we’ve seen OVER 3,000 regular AIDS patients both through the Health center and Mobile clinics, and several thousand “on-and-offs”. 

The other staff that are not represented here are, - Ann,- the Rural health Manager, Nancy, - a Nurse, Jimmy, - HIV/AIDS counselor, Joyce (NOT LOYCE), a Nurse), Nathan, - a pharmacist, and Roberto, - maintenance staff.

We will bring pictures of these in our next entries soon.

We are grateful to ALL our Donors right from USAID through IRCU, to individuals, businesses and Churches in the United States and other countries who have faithfully supported AOET - not just Uganda, but also AOET Kenya, AOET Zambia, AOET Botswana and AOET Rwanda.

It’s been a fruitful year, and I know that together, we can, and will do more in 2009. 

Please contact us with any questions you might have concerning anything from supporting the work we are doing in any of the five African countries we operate in, volunteering… Our staff will be waiting to help you find answers for you

You can contact us at: stushabe@aoet.org

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, and we pray that 2009 will be a year of abundance for you.

Gratefully,

Sam M. N. Tushabe,

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR                                                                                                                                  AOET INTERNATIONAL

High School construction continues to move forward.

AOET Uganda Leadership will be advertising the School for new Students to enroll through January 2009, and start classes in the new School as early as February 2009. The Grand Opening however will wait until March 2009 when Students are using the School, and most of the construction is completed. 

School Administration Block on it’s way to completion

Among the completed construction by then will be the “O” Level Classrooms (Senior one through Senior 4) then “A” Level (Senior 5 and Senior 6) Classrooms, Laboratory Section, School and AOET Administration Block, a Computer Laboratory section and a Soccer field.

One of the most important aspects of a good school is a good Library. Over the next few months, we will continue looking for funding to build and furnish a Library for this High School.

If you know of a Library that is closing down or re-stocking books, or if you know of someone or a company that can contribute any number of books, please let us know. We are looking at a few thousand Text books.

We need English, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agriculture, Health Science, Accounting… books.

If you can help raise funds in anyway for the construction of the Library,  or put together a Book Drive, … please let us know. We would be more than grateful and happy to give you all the information you need or have someone from AOET come and speak about AOET, about the High School or any other information you might need for this purpose.

Please contact us at: stushabe@aoet.org to help us put together the Library for for the High School or support other AOET International Projects in the 5 countries we are operating in.

At AOET we believe that education and teaching are a process by which the behavior of one person is changed into conformity by the standards exemplified by another.

We therefore foster the teaching style where teachers seek to love their students and get interested not only in their academic performance but the total personhood of their students.

Analysis

In the areas where AOET works, Education is the residents’ primary concern (49% – AOET, 2004). AIDS’ orphans are often the first to be denied education, as their extended families cannot afford to school them or afford to provide scholastic materials. Needless to say, secondary schooling is beyond the means of the majority.

Because a large number of Students being sponsored by AOET is in Primary School, and because it costs us a fortune to send a child to High School, and because MANY young people walk long distances to go to School every morning, we decided to begin our own model high School.

A Section of the High School

This High School will care for Students from all walks of life irrespective of their religious beliefs, race, tribe, political orientation …

Over the Past few Months, construction of the High School has been one of the major projects being run by AOET. AI and it’s patners are funding this construction!

 We’ve been able to put up ALL the structures of this phase and are now on the “finishing ” details; these involve plastering, Ceiling work…

A few of the structures have either already been plastered or are being platered!

 Ceiling work is in progress as well!

The carpenters have done a WONDERFUL job so far with the roofs, and are doing a WONDERFUL job with ceiling work as well.

 Over the past few months, prices of almost EVERYTHING have soared through the roof!!! Somethings have almost doubled in cost. For example, a 16 mm Steel Bar that we used to buy at 22,000 Uganda shillings a year ago, has gone up to 49,000 Uganda shillings!!! (More than 100% increment!!

And therefore, we decided to stock up on goods that can be stored! For All the roofs and Ceiling, the best wood has been purchased from other Towns and brought to us! We’ve stocked up enough wood, to meet all our woodwork needs! we’ve also stocked up cement and other construction materials.

 Construction of the High School has provided jobs for ove 100 people that live in and around the community where the School is being built! These range from suppliers of Building materials, carpenters, builders, Welders, local food cooks… This has Pleased the community a GREAT deal!!

    School Administrative Building on its roofing stage.

AOET intends to set up several Primary and High Schools as model schools for children from HIV/AIDS backgrounds – offering - in addition to the formal curriculum, Vocational training, career guidance, child counseling and other skills.

In this Report:

1. Child sponsorship

2. Home Visits

3. Payment of School fees

4. Update on JOEL

5. Tailoring school

6. Rehaboth school

7. AOET Children’s village

 1. CHILD SPONSORSHIP

i) More Children Sponsored

42 more children in addition to the Hundreds already sponsored got sponsorship during the month of May and this has enabled us get closer to our Child Sponsorship goal for 2008. The greatest contribution has been done by the AOET USA office that is always looking for sponsors for Ugandan Children.

ii) Letter writing

Unlike in the past, this month, majority of the sponsored children communicated to their sponsors through letter writing. This is done at the end of every end of term. With Ginger and Beth’s help, 85% of the total sponsored Children wrote their termly sponsorship letters. This helps keep a healthy relationship between the Sponsor and sponsoree. Of the Hundreds of Children that are sponsored, getting 85% write their letters in just a little over a week means social workers, Ginger and Beth worked around the clock!! The rest of the 15% are also bringing in their letters. These should be with AOET - USA soon. Bravo !!! 

Ginger also came with letters from sponsors for Children which have also all been responded to.

2. HOME VISITS

Forty homes have been visited by our social workers and the visiting team.

Most outstanding of them was the visit to Atim Betty in kumi District and Nantabo Sumaya in mbale. Both these are hundreds of Kilometers from AOET!! One social worker visited Atim Betty, a young sponsored child with HIV in kumi. She missed her end of term exams due to poor Health, but by the time the Social worker got to her Home, she was doing well.

Nantabo Sumaya in Mbale District is also one of the sponsored child that was going to Rehaboth Integrated School and staying with a maternal grandmother. Eventually her extended family picked her and took her to mbale to stay with her paternal aunt. AOET is committed to all the Sponsored Children far and near. Social workers report on each child’s status every month.

3. SCHOOL FEES PAYMENT 

The school term officially opened on 26th may 2008, and fortunately we received the school fees in time for all sponsored children. Although the dollar has fallen sharply aganst the Uganda Shilling, AOET Administration has managed to keep all Children in School. School fees payment for children is in progress until next week when we hope all children will have been paid for .

4. UPDATE ON JOEL

Joel and His Mother on returning from the United States

 Igodobe Joel-9 years is a sponsored child attending Rehaboth integrated school. He has been using clutches to move to and from school for the last 5 years after a small accident left one of his legs broken. When AOET received a visiting team in 2006, one of the members was touched by Joel’s story because he could not play like other children and he thought it could be possible for Joel to be operated on and be able to walk again. When he went back, he organized a team of doctor friends and also looked for funds to take Joel and have him operated on.

Joel now has a story to tell, he is back after a 5 months stay in the United States. He had Margaret looking after Him, and they both Stayed with Karen and Web in Oregon. Joel is now completely healing and can walk without a clutch!

Special thanks to the Different Hospitals, Ambulance services, physiotherapists, Karen and Web, Ginger, the Smiths and Many other people that can’t all be listed here.

5. TAILORING SCHOOL

May marked the end of the training for the AOET women tailoring school and the trainees are now waiting for their graduation ceremony. At the moment they are doing their final touches on traditional wear commonly known as kanzu and gomesi  for men and women respectively.

The 67 finalists (In Jinja) recently had their end of year party at the source of the Nile  in Jinja organized by the Child Welfare office and funded by AOET - ICO.

They had a good time together with their instructor and the social workers away from school and home. They will soon walk away with certificates and Sewing machines from AOET to start their own Businesses and so care for the Children placed under their care.

6. REHABOTH INTEGRATED SCHOOL

The school term at Rehaboth opened on 26th may for all continuing pupils except for Seventh Grade ers  that remained behind for their holiday study. Children have started the school term enthusiastically with seriousness. This term is expected to end in august.

i) Monthly Tests

Seventh Grade (Primary seven) has started the term with their monthly progressive tests set by Prime educational consultants -  reknown for organizing tests and exams for schools. We are yet to tell how far they have gone since this term prepares them for their primary leaving exams in form of mock exams that will be done on 18th July.

The schedule for tests is as follows.

Date	Test
1st June	End of may General Exams
13th June	mid June General Exams
20th June	mid term General Exams
4th July	Seventh GradePre-mock Exams
18th July	Seventh Grademock Exams
25th July	End of term General Exams

ii) Distribution of school uniforms

73.5 % of ALL the school children received new school uniforms made by the AOET tailoring group during the month. Only a few children still have old uniforms and this will be sorted out by the end of June. The School and Children in General now look cleaner compared to last term. Thanks to the administration that has provided funds for the materials and the tailoring school that has made the school uniforms at no cost.

iii) Recruitment of new teachers

Three teachers have been added on the Rehaboth teaching staff and this brings the number of teachers at a School with 7 classes to 15. This gives a ration of 1 Teacher to 26 Children (1:26) Copared to Government Schools that have 1:200 - sometimes more, this is VERY good for Ugandan Standards. We have purposely decided to limit erollment to this ration in order to give quality Education to the Children under our care.

In total, Rehaboth now has 20 Staff: 15 teaching staff, a computer instructor, bursar and three cooks.

iv) Primary seven boarding section

A place has already been identified and rented for primary seven pupils boarding section. At least six months have been paid and primary seven will be moving in soon. Administration is yet to provide beds and mattresses for pupils. This will help teachers to teach for longer hours and help children in their revision as they prepare for their primary leaving examinations in November.

 The school has been provided with stationery for this term by the administration, all this will help the teachers to teach well and for the students to learn better.

v) Upcoming events at the school

 16th June—day of the African child

21st July annual sports day

Educational tour for upper primary

7. REHABOTH CHILDREN’S VILLAGE

The parents are taking care of their own compounds at the Children’s village. This has seen ALL house compounds clean.

 One more Home is being constructed there, but the cue of families with adopted Children waiting to have a Home at the Children’s Village keeps growing. We already have hundreds of Children there at the Moment. Most of these Children are paid for by AOET to go to School and only those that haven’t reached School going age remain behind. The Village is Vibrant on Sunday afternoons when everyone is home, children are not in School, Parents are from Church and are relaxing at home waiting for the next day, … You need to visit!!! This is the right environment for Children!!!!

The vision here is to provide a home for Children that have lost their parents to AIDS and would otherwise never be able to go to School or have a stable home!

Upcoming events at the Children’s Village

Parenting Seminar for Families on 14th June 2008

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Thank you for taking the time to read through this whole report! I hope it has given you an Idea of what life has been like in this department this past month! Please come again more often! We will be posting more info every now and then.

Nakubulwa Teo

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT,  AOET - Uganda Child Welfare.

*********************************************************

 The month of May has been quite busy for AOET-Kenya. It would have been very hard; had it not been for the cooperation of all concerned.

We want to particularly thank the International Coordinating Office Led by Sam for facilitating our smooth running.

SCHOOL FEES:

This is the month schools were opening and as usual, as schools open there is an element of paying school fees. It is unfortunate that the students we sponsor go to schools in different places; this makes it quite difficult to pay fees for all of them in good time but we were able to do that effectively.

We want to thank the International coordinating Office again for having organized  to release funds

 we needed in good time for the Second Term. In collaboration with Jen Long who is handling our Kenya Child Sponsorships and Ginger at The AOET USA Office, we were able to receive the funds here in good time. We say THANK YOU to The International Coordinating Office ( ICO).

 ^{But, Although we got the fees in time, there are some challenges we faced. Some pupils’ sponsors had dropped off. This means that these children cannot go to school since they do not have fees. The sad part is that we had already transferred some of them to better Schools after a commitment from the Sponsors!!}

^NETWORKING

We were touched by a very sad event when we came to discover that one of our sponsored children had already developed fully blown AIDS and was unable to attend school due to poor health. This has further reminded us of the need to reach out to more organizations dealing with treatment and caring for people living with HIV/AIDs. Currently we are networking with AMPATH to assist us with the treatment. The child has already been started on treatment and nutrition supplements to sustain her health.

^{STAFF MATTERS} 

AOET-Kenya is privileged and happy to report that two of its staff left for further training - curtesy of the International coordinating Office (ICO); in order to upgrade their knowledge in the field of their operation here at AOET.

They will be expected to come back and develop AOET further in the field for which they trained.

Daudi Epero (Mike)

Mike is currently training at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. His course will take one semester to upgrade in mathematics’ before embarking on his main course work.

                  Mrs. Elizabeth Mwibanda

Elizabeth, our social worker has gone to Moi University for further studies in Community Development. This however has increased the load of work in the department to the few people remaining. We want to thank the rest of the team for their willingness and flexibility to work whenever need arises to fill these gaps.

STAFF LEAVE

Mrs. Esther Mwiti Mwendwa

 AREA OF OPERATION

AOET Rural health initiative (RHI) is rendering services in two main Districts - Jinja and Kamuli in Kisozi sub-county.

However, people from various districts are served as well; although only the two are in the organization’s catchment area.

 The following were some of the major objectives planned out for the quarter:

 Provide counselling to 1500 clients

• Provide HIV testing services to 1500 people.
• Maintain 30 bicycles to community resource persons (CORPs).
• Provide 150 home based care kits to the different AOET community based workers.
• Carry out 1,300 Home visits by reliour community based workers
• Provide treatment for opportunistic infections to our registered clients.
• Refer clients to other centres and hospitals for further management.

 ACTIVITIES EXECUTED

 HIV COUNSELING AND TESTIN 

A total of 1,829 Individuals were counselled and tested for HIV in both Jinja and Kamuli Districts. This included both HCT and RCT methods.

Clients were mainly mobilised by trained counselling aides (AOET communitybased  representatives  - CORPS) and religious leaders. These two categories of people were trained to do this work and since 2004 have always been facilitated with daily work allowances and bicycle Ambulances are provided for them to use in the communitie- both to Mobilize the people but also to transport patients to our Mobile clinic centers and other Health providers in the different communities.

Community based workers/representatives are AOET’s biggest Vehicle of HIV Counselling as they live in the different communities where our patients are.

 During this quarter, Counselling was done by professional counselors but due to the limited number of staff, individual counselling was not done as fully as we would wanted it.

 The epidemiology of HIV among only those who visited our centres is shown below according to sex, age and marital status.

 TABLE 1 SHOWING NUMBER OF CIENTS TESTED ACCORDING TO THEIR SEX

Treatment of opportunistic infections

 A total number of 390 cases were seen during the quarter and these were of various sicknesses

(Diagnosis).

This was done both at the AOET Main clinic and the mobile clinics. Both our fulltime clinical officer and the doctor who comes once a week and on appointment did the consultation.

In addition to treatment of malaria, a prevention outreach was also done through the provision of Insect Treated Nets (ITNs) which were given to 300 clients both adults and children. Also 259 mosquito nets were re-treated and these included those for the clients who had received them eight months ago and the community around the AOET Main clinic.

The clients’ registration greatly increased during the quarter mainly due to the funding from USAID/ IRCU / PEPFA, which enabled the department to have adequate testing kits and drugs.

Other Drugs came from visiting Teams, Willamette Christian center and Grace Community Church.                       

CLINICAL ASSESSMENT

A total of 4,063 cases were seen during the quarter and these included our sponsored children, their parents/guardians plus the general community. AOET Rural Health Initiative (RHI) department since the last two years decided to open up the clinic to the general public instead of treating only the HIV/AIDS infected persons.

The department thought that this would in one way or the other fight stigma where the clients could freely come to the clinic since everyone would be coming. However most of the clinical assessments were done in Kamuli and this outlet centre had high numbers because the area does not have any other  health facilities.

As a result, when we take a mobile clinic there, almost every one that has been waiting comes, and that is in hundreds (for a single days’ work)!!

TABLE III SHOWING DISEASES PATTERN FROM JANUARY -MARCH 2008

TB DIAGNOSIS

 TB management was not done at the mobile clinic but diagnosis was done and only at the main clinic because it was not possible to be carried out in the village (0n mobile clinics) since they did not have electricity to operate the gargets used.

Almost all the HIV clients were screened especially those in HIV clinical staging 3 and 4 and those with TB clear clinical picture. Normally, we refer clients who have tested TB positive for TB treatment in hospitals and other TB centres.

  The cotrimoxazole and multivitamins prophylaxis programme

 This programme was intended as a way of protecting our patients from opportunistic infections that weaken them. A total of 390 clients were put on both multivitamin and cotrimoxazole. For the patients that are allergic to sulpha drugs, dapson is always prescribed as an alternative.

 The following criteria during these three months was used in running of this programme;

1) The patient must accept to be tested and registered at any of the AOET- Uganda service centres (for easy follow up).

• 2) The Patient should be willing to be treated using septrin and multivitamin prophylaxis.
• 3) Patients that do not have a history to reaction on using Sulpha since Dapson is very rare.

 Laboratory services

 A total number of 2,164 tests were done during the quarter and this was possible because of the wonderful equipment donated to us by USAID/IRCU.

 Tests done at the AOET (RHI) clinic lab

 At AOET, a typical investigation in addition to HIV includes Malaria, Parasite slides, stool examinations, Sputum for TB, VDRL, Urinalysis and Haematology and widal tests for typhoid infections.

However, the clinic was able to take care of such a big number of people because of the sufficient supply of the reagents and all the consumables that were needed.  

 STI Management

 The popular sexually transmitted infections in this quarter included;

 1) Candidiasis

2) Genital ulcers

3) Genital watts

4) Urinary truct infections.

 Most of the cases were managed by the medical staff  although a small number was referred to other health providers with more facilities.

 Quality Control.

During the quarter, the department head together with the lab technician found out that in order to provide quality services, there was need to take samples to other recognised centres for quality control. In March, Joint Clinical Research Center (JCRC) Kakira branch, was approached and AOET RHI clinic was allowed to be taking the samples for further testing and confirmatory.

In the same way, other Health centers are bringing their results to AOET for confirmatory tests.

These are necessary for credibility and quality control. Within the network of Health providers in the region (which AOET is part of), we find this kind of collaboration wonderful as we treat people with dignity and provide credible traetment.

Referrals to hospital and other organisations.

Referrals were also done so that other clients can access care and treatment services within their neighbourhood. The other reason for referrals during the quarter was to maintain the collaborative strategy with other service organisations and health centres. However, there was a challenge in managing clients who fail to go for tests required like TB and CD4 count. During this quarter, it has been hard to continue monitoring them without such results.

We plan to get a CD4 count machine soon so we can have this service added to the others provided at our main center here in Bugembe.

 Networks

 ALL our patients have formed networks out of the past test groups with four of these in Jinja and their major role is to have patients support each other socially. Several activities like crafts making, music and dance, drama were done. Two drama groups performed six HIV sensitisation shows both in Kamuli and Jinja Districts. The drama shows and music are used as way of HIV prevention in the areas of operation. For purposes of sustainability, the network was advised by AOET and facilitated to register and it’s now recognised in the district as a Community Based Organisation.

Home based care

Both This activity was carried out by people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAS), Religious leaders and AOET staff and volunteers. The people that conducted these visits were trained by AOET specifically in HIV facts, counselling and general palliative care. Several activities like washing cloths, general home cleaning and psychosocial support, mobilising people and referring them for treatment were done. During this activity, palliative care packages like Soap, Jik, cotton wool and painkillers are provided in addition to the medical care given to some clients who need it at home especially IV lines.

However according to the reports of those visiting, clients need more than medical and psychosocial support. A big number of them need nutrition boosting which AOET is considering for the future but does not have resources for right now.

 HIV/awareness.

Due to limited staff and funding, HIV awareness as an activity was only done  in a few schools.

It’s indeed a necessary activity but the current funding and staffing cannot enable the department to implement this activity fully, yet is of paramount importance!.

Staff Training

One of the staff - a Counsellor, was sent for further training in palliative care and ART at mildmay in Kampala for two weeks.  

However, more training is required as lack of sufficient knowledge let to many patients being referred to other centers when we could have handled them ourselves.

Also, 3 trainings were carried out during the quarter for District leaders, religious leaders, People living with HIV/AIDS and CORPs.

In all these trainings, this department hires facilitators from the District health services and other service organisations.

 An update on local partnerships

 AOET rural health initiative is currently collaborating with TASO, JCRC - the eastern branch in Kakira, Jinja network of AIDS service organisations, Jinja main referral hospital, Jinja DHS and the Uganda AIDS control program.

 Funding.

Throughout the quarter, almost all the activities were funded by USAID through inter religious council of Uganda (IRCU). Also volunteer groups especially from the US brought in some items like assorted drugs and small clinical equipment. Grace community Church and Willemette Christian center were some of the contributors to the success of this quarter!

Nevertheless, there is still a HUGE funding gap for the activities done in the department.

 While hundreds of people - although sick - are sometimes able to walk to our Main Clinic or Mobile clinics in the Villages, some are not, and so AOET looks for avenues for them to be taken care of as well!

One such person “was” Jesca!!!

 Jesca’s Story:

Jesca is 39 years old and lives in Kagoma sub-county with five children. Two girls and 3 boys.

Jesca is disabled due to polio and she has never walked since she was born .

She was however married to a man who later abandoned her 11 years a go. For all this time, she has been struggling to meet her needs and those of her children.

Jesca told us that her biggest wish was to move and do some sort of small scale business so she and her Children can earn a living, however this has never been possible because she couldn’t walk.  

When the AOET medical team began interacting with her, they found out that the entire family had no beddings and got Malaria frequently (am sure because they had no mosquito nets) and they REALLY needed help!!!

The Medical Team came back to the AOET Offices and recommended that Jesca be attended to with immediate effect!!!

With Wheel Chairs given to AOET by OGT,  Jesica was given a wheel chair that exited not only her, but the neighbours, her children….

You should have been there to see the Joy!!!

She is now able to move around the village and return visits neighbours and friends had paid her - one of her biggest wishes.  

She is also able to go to the clinic when she is sick.

The entire family has been given beddings, and her Children have also been connected to the AOET Child sponsorship program where they will get sponsored (when we get sponsors for them)!!!.                   

 Now that she can move around, Jesca is looking for funding to start a small business to support her family!!!

It is WONDERFUL when we meet cases like these that could not see beyond “today” and their lives are changed  -  taken to a level where they begin dreaming BIG!! Totally WONDERFUL!

 VOLUNTEERS.

 The department received two sets of volunteers from USA during this quarter and both groups participated in the activities that were being done at that time. One of these groups had time with the post test group and taught them how to make Jewry and provided them with relevant tools for this trade. These tools are kept by the department so that other groups too have access to them.

These volunteers also came with assorted medicines that were given to the clinic and this helped with the big gap of medicines that has been threatening the department.

CHALLENGES.

-Overwhelming number of clients at our centres

-In-adequate staffing.

-Delay of funding.

-Inadequate space especially for stabilising the weak clients.

-Inadequate knowledge on data management by the departmental members aggravated by lack of a data manager.

NEEDS:

- More skilled people on staff.

- Funding available is less, the needs are great! We need help!!

Our Clinic is too small. A proposal has been generated to Expand the existing structure / facilities, but we haven’t been able to get a partner/ donor that would help us build it!

- Capacity building in data management is urgently needed to be able to compile the lots of data collected.

-The laboratory needs at least two people.

Do you have the time and skills to come and work alongside AOET in the area of Data?

Or are you able to help us financially to hire an additional person that can handle our Data?

Please get in touch with us at: stushabe@aoet.org

ACTIVITIES FOR THE NEXT QUARTER

1. HIV Counselling and testing

2. Provision o HCT, VCT and other lab investigation services

3. General palliative care.

4. Refer clients

5. Stabilization of patients

6. Medical support

7. Provision. Home Based Care 

8. Review meeting with religious leaders and community resource persons.

9. Training of PHAs and religious leaders.

Compiled by.

ANNIE ALIMUWA

Manager,

AOET Rural health initiative.

Tabitha Noll

Hello, my name is Tabitha and I have had the amazing privilidge of visiting AOET for two weeks. While in Uganda, I became a sponge to soak in as much of their culture as possible in hopes that one day I may return. I believe there are a few things I observed that will help if you have never visited Uganda. I do not know everything about this culture and I am sure your visit will be a wonderful learning experience, but I do wish to pass on what I have learned in hope that your visit will go smoothly as I came to understand there are so many differences I was not aware. I sincerely hope this will help even one person in a small way when travelling to AOET. I trust that you will not only visit this place, but embrace and immerse yourself in the beautiful Ugandan culture as I have done. May God sincerely bless your journey as you help AOET save lives.

Health Tips:

*Bring Hand Sanitizer/ Baby wipes/ Toilet paper as bathrooms in Uganda do not supply these.
*Tuck mosquito nets completely around your mattress to keep them out of your sleeping area. Mosquitoes come at dawn/dusk mostly. Wear long sleeves at night if outside.
*Remember your DEET bug spray, but not higher than 50% DEET for skin and higher concentration is ok but only for your clothes to treat against mosquitoes.
*Remember sunscreen.
*Pharmacies in Uganda carry almost any prescription drug and you can purchase without an RX.
*Use bottled water for drinking or water that has been boiled for a while at rolling boil is ok.
*Use bottled water or boiled for brushing teeth also.
*Aspirin is a good idea to take on the plane journey to help prevent blood clots (81 mg. minimum dose)
*Do not eat vegetables/fruits without a skin or peel unless cooked.
*Make sure to get proper immunizations, but please research this to know which ones are necessary and which are not. (They did not even check our immunization cards even once throughout journey).
*Paper products like napkins are not always provided in restaruants
*Do not fear eating meat as long as it has been cooked it should be fine even though you will see it hanging.
*Do not hang wet clothes outside after dusk to dry. There is a bug that nests into clothes hung out after dusk that can only be killed by heat like by ironing with high heat. Make sure wet clothes are not drying after dusk in the open air outside.
*Do not touch a child’s head with white spots present. This discoloration is a contagious skin fungus that can be spread by skin contact.
*If you get food poisining, charcoal tablets are a good idea and can be purchased at any health food store in U.S. very inexpensive. Use as directed on bottle.

Cultural Tips:

*Ugandans do not make direct eye contact and if they try to, it for a brief moment as their culture is different and searching for eye contact with them can sometimes be offensive to them. They are the most loving people, but do not communicate the same as Americans due to their culture being so deeply a part of them.

*When waving to children or people in Uganda, keep an open hand wave. To fold one hand and wave is actually a summon to come here and children may run to your vehicle if you wave like this.
*Hand wash your own undergarments even if someone offers to wash your clothes for you. It is offensive to Ugandans to wash another person’s undergarments. (No explanation necessary).
*Little children will chase a white person and call you Mzungu. Do not let this bother you, it is even proper english to call a person with white skin Mzungu even among adults in Uganda.
*Do not give money to people on the street, even children. It is not helpful to missionaries who are permanently in Uganda and when children expect a Mzungu to give them money. They will come to expect it from everyone. It is better to give milk or bread to those who beg as it is much more useful.
*When visiting a restuarant, they will not always have food. Ask the restaurant before being seated, “Do you have any food? And what is ready?”
*Ugandans like a warm greeting and will hold your handshake for a long time to greet you.
They sincerely love visitors to come and will make you feel warmly welcomed!
*Do not promise anything. Make sure your yes is yes and no is no. Please be very direct with Ugandans.
*Many people will ask your phone number and email even strangers.
*Ugandans serve guests their food first and make sure you have eaten before them. Do not be offended by this. This is their cultural way of honoring a guest.

Safety Tips:

*Before leaving U.S., talk to your cell phone company and bank to let them know the countries you will be travelling so that they can maintain security of accounts and cell phone usage.
*Master Card/Visa can be used to make cash withdraw from Uganda at Stanbic Bank ATM’s.
*It is best to bring cash with $100’s with a date current nothing prior to 2001 series bills to exchange at exchange station in town.
*Bring electric converters in order to use any electrical equipment. Our plugs do not correspond without proper converters. (Can be purchased in U.S. at AAA travel store locations).
*Electricity/Hot water is not always available and can go out periodically throughout your stay.
*DO NOT TAKE PICTURES NEAR BRIDGES OR IN AFRICAN AIRPORTS OR AROUND ARMED GUARDS!!!!! You can be arrested and taken to jail for taking photos in certain areas. Always ask and be sure it is ok before snapping pictures! This is VERY SERIOUS!
*You are not free to speak or do anything you want in Uganda.
*BUT, you are free to share the gospel as the Lord leads. Freedom of speech is limited, but you will find that the gospel is a freedom you can speak about almost anytime or anywhere.
*Bring candles/matches if you go on a journey as some hotels will not have electricity. Candles can be purchased in Uganda.
*Liquids under 3oz. bottles need to be placed in quart size ziploc for airport security purposes. Only one ziploc allowed per traveller and all liquids for carry on must fit into this ziploc. If you want to pack liquid in larger bottles, they must go into checked luggage.
*Money belts are a good idea to keep under clothes to assure money is safely kept.
*You may not want to bring electrical equipment like Mp3, Ipod, laptop PC’s for safety reasons.
*Driving is on opposite side of road in Uganda/driver is on opposite side of vehicle than US.
*If you hit someone while driving, DO NOT STOP. Village people may try to kill you. Go immediately to nearest police station to report.
*Gas stations may not always have gas. Please keep close eye on tank to be sure you will have gas for your journey as stations are not always easily accessed especially the further you go from the Main cities.
*Do not walk outside alone at night. Be safe and keep aware that you are a target as a Mzungu.
*If police stop you, it may help to show remorse and say “YOU forgive me.”
*Security guards carry guns and may shoot if you steal something.
*Carry your passport on local journeys, but keep it safe and keep an extra copy of it in your checked luggage which will stay at your sleeping place in case lost or stolen.
*Speaking about Joseph Kony or LRA is not free like in America. We cannot exercise freedom to speak about things in Uganda like in U.S. openly on the street. Be careful in speaking openly about these things - especially as a foreigner.

Other helpful Tips:

*Young women and children will sometimes curtsy or bow when greeting a visitor or guest as a form of respect. (This is very humbling, but please graciously receive this form of their honor to a guest)
*Please be patient. Things move sometimes very slow in Ugandan culture. Allow time for everything as things are not fast paced in Uganda like in U.S.
*Make sure you know a price before a boda-boda ride or stay at internet cafe.

This is a Boda Boda. It is a Bicycle or Motor Bike Taxi.

You may be overcharged as an American if you are not careful to know the prices of things in Uganda.
*Ugandan meal times are a little different and around 8:30am for Breakfast, 1:00pm for Lunch, and 7:30 or 8:00pm for Dinner.
*Do not expect a restaurant to have everything on the menu. Be flexible and patient in all things.
*Remember the reason you are here is to serve and not to be served. This will help you in frustrating times.
*If going on an AOET mobile clinic, bring snacks and water as you will work through lunch on this day.
*Snacks are a good idea to bring with you. Ugandans will feed you and it is very offensive if you do not eat their meals, but snacks are a good idea to keep for travelling and between meals. (ie: protein bars, trail mix, dried fruits)
*Bringing candies is always a good idea to sweeten up police or little children you meet.
*E-mailing can be done at internet cafe’s (slow connection sometimes)
*Many internet cafe’s are closed on Sundays and some shops also close on Sunday.

God Bless your stay in Uganda, - and especially as you work with AOET!

Construction started the last week of December and has been progressing VERY well until the Uganda / Kenya Boarder was closed recently prompting a 150% increase in fuel prices as a result of ethnic clashes in Kenya started by Elections that didn’t go well.
We are hoping that this will be a temporary situation and the Boarder (which actually serves a whole region) will be reopened soon and business will go back to Normal.
Here are a few pictures of the progress.

The School will have several Hundred Students, Class/Lecture rooms, Laboratories, A properly Stocked Library and reading room, Administration Section, art Laboratory,…

Map of the High School when finally completed!

The Guest of Honor was the District Commissioner, Bungoma East (Equivalent to a Governor).
Together with her were MANY Government officials, Chiefs, stake holders, A good representation of Big, International organizations, …

Getting ready to cut the Ribbon. The local people put those traditional ornaments on Sam and the other Officials as a sign of gratitude. This practice has been going on for centuries

At about 3:00 pm, the District Commissioner cut the Ribbon, and the program was officially launched.

The District Commissioner (Governer) Cutting the Ribbon

Program Officially Launched

Although not present at the function, “GRACE” was the Church behind this part of AOET Kenya’s growth into another realm of operation!
Jon and Jen Long, Patti Hewatt, Angella, Nick and Becky Ramsing and many others coordinated ALL the initial Child sponsorships when a Team from AOET Uganda Visited “GRACE” in Baltimore, Maryland.
Jen carried Child profiles almost everywhere - talking about the program to every and anyone that cared to listen.
She matched willing donors with Kenyan Children that needed sponsorship, … A lot of work was done during that time (Fall of 2007).
Jon Long helped a great deal doing the same thing, but mostly Driving the Ugandan Team. Other Drivers also got involved - it was Team work.
GRACE Hosted the Team with Individuals like Ms. Susan and others taking part - practically Housing and feeding the Ugandan Team.

Through Jen, Patti, Becky and many other volunteers’ help, and support, 100 Children had been picked up by willing Donors for sponsorship by the time the Ugandan Team was ready to go home - the biggest number of sponsors being from GRACE!!!.
It is on this 100 that the AOET Kenya Program is Kick starting it’s Child Sponsorship program in addition to the rest of the programs it is running.

AOET Kenya NEEDS more Child Sponsors.
They are hoping to have 250 Children sponsored by the end of 2008!

Christine’s Story:

Mrs. Christine Wafula is a mother of 10.
Most of the 10 Children were in School, but have now dropped out!. Christine is a peasant and earns a living from selling small fish and growing some vegetables that she grows in a tiny plot behind her little house. She lives in a small temporary wattle tin roofed house with two grown up girls and eight younger children. Her elder son was imprisoned and left behind a wife and one child who by default Christine had to take on!. Her grown up daughter who is 13 years old has dropped out of school due to lack of school fees and other necessities.
The social worker that Visits Christine on this particular day remembers getting emotionally envolved with the family. “There was no way anyone could not feel compassionate after listening to Christine” she said!!!
This is what Christine had to say - , “The family does not have any support for the grown up children. My daughter dropped out of school after completing her primary School level; and feeding them is a problem”. Now in tears, she continued, “ We only have one meal in a day, and also not adequate… we let the small one’s eat first…I will be happy to see my daughter back to school like other little girls; it will comfort me a great deal”.

Will you help?

It costs $30 a month to sponsor any of Christine’s Children or any other in a similar situation through AOET Kenya.

This $30 Helps as follows:

- Pays the Child’s School fees
- Buys books for the Child
- Provides Healthcare for the Child
- Buys School Uniform for the Child (2 sets of Uniform a year).
- Provides Lunch for the Child at School.

University Students pay more.
Their programs are divided in two sections a year - first and Second Semesters - 6 months each.
Each Semester costs $800.

To sponsor a Child, Please contact Jen Long at: sniperjen@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting us again.
Please come back again soon.

Ann Alimuwa / Sam Tushabe