Farmer Livelihood - Success Story

Soil and water conservation - RRHS emphasises gender equality when promoting climate change action. 

RRHS, with support from Kiima Foods NGO, implemented a project titled 'Farmer Livelihood and Resilience to Climate Change' in early January, 2023. This project is taking place in Kibohu village, Rukoki Sub-county, Kasese District, Uganda. 

This project focuses on driving transformation in agriculture and tackling the root causes of the following large issues in the targeted community:

1. Climate Change 
2. Food Insecurity
3. Nutrition Security 
4. Poor Ecosystem Health 
5. Poor Household Hygiene 
6. Unsustainable Incomes at Household Level

This project aims to increase youth employment, gender involvement, and promotion of household pets and small gardens for the purposes of nutrition. This projects involves 80 farmers as key ambassadors from 80 households, and will last eleven months until November 2023. Read below for a success story!

RRHS Executive Director visited one of the farmers that had joined this program - Mr Zibidayo - to see how he had been implementing climate-safe change in his household. While at Mr Zibidayo's house, RRHS was very pleased to discover the successful implementation of several micro-interventions, listed below. 

1. Rabbit Keeping 

Mr Zibidayo informed the RRHS team about how rabbit keeping had greatly provided ecological benefits to his garden, as rabbit droppings could be used a source of natural compost. This compost could then be used for further land rehabilitation. He added "Rabbits are a food source and a source of income for pressing family matters." This year, one of Mr Zibidayo's son's is in charge of selling rabbits to contribute to his school fees. 

Mr Zibiyao has built a hutch for keeping his rabbits in the garden. 

2.  Soil and Water Conservation 

Mr Zibidayo led the RRHS team into the garden area, where approximately eight water trenches could be seen. Mr Zibidayo told the team that he had invested his time, resources and energy in constructing the trenches because they break the natural slope of the ground, reducing the velocity of water run-off and enhancing water infiltration to prevent soil erosion. 

Water trenches seen in Mr Zibidayo's garden. 

3.  Clean Cook Stoves 

According to Mr Zibidayo, he had also invested in clean cook stoves to reduce carbon emissions from his household, as well as easing health and economic burdens which may affect his wife and children as a result of cooking. He now uses small dry branches from his planted trees for cooking. 

Mr Zibidayo told us "More than 4 million people die every year from indoor air pollution, making it a top environmental health risk, and investing in such stoves is important to reduce this number."

He continued to say "More advocacies in regard to reducing in-house pollutions are required." RRHS agrees with Mr Zibidayo and is very pleased with his work. 

Clean cook stoves installed in Mr Zibidayo's household, alongside collected dry branches. 

5.  Kitchen Gardens 

Mr Zibidayo informed us of his use of  'bottle irrigation' to sustain his garden during dry spells felt in July and January. He said "through a series of small holes that are put in the bottom of the bottle, water is slowly released to the plant's roots." This is a very creative and efficient project, and aligns with our Climate Change advocacies. 

Mr Zibidayo can be seen using the technique 'bottle irrigation'. 

6.  Community Learning 

Mr Zibidayo emphasised the need of community learning to aid climate change. He explained that "students nurses in this area often struggle to come to promote and support health and wellness. When they did come, they educated and informed communities about climate change impacts on health, and to investigate, advocate and implement sustainable policy and practices."

Student nurses in the picture below are seen informing villagers about health and wellness. The team of student nurses supplements RRHS team to confront climate change. 

Student nurses seen in a community learning session. 

If you would like to see a personal video from Mr Zibidayo explaining his actions, please visit the RRHS Facebook Page and RRHS YouTube Page. 

Please feel free to email us if you would like to donate to our projects, so we can keep promoting rural development. Email: ruralservices60@gmail.com

RRHS Clothes Distribution

 July 2020  - RRHS Facebook Page  RRHS YouTube Page

Dr Majid Jaridi visited our project here in Uganda as a part of an assessment for the Min. Gravity Flow Scheme. He came with other members of a team from the West Virginia University in 2017. 

During his visit, Dr Jaridi and other group members interacted with children in the area. He noticed how much children looked in need, and were dressed in old dirty clothes due to poverty. 

Leaving Uganda, Dr Jaridi was determined to share with friends and family what he had seen here. 

Dr Jaridi, and friends and family mobilised funds and wired them to RRHS to purchase clothes and shoes for needy children. 

Once funds had been received, RRHS mobilised to acquire clothes and shows for 400 children. 

However, the emergency of Covid-19 disrupted this plan, causing RRHS staff to travel far to Kampala to buy clothes and shoes. 

Nevertheless, the supplies were received back in the village, ready for distribution. 

See here shoes bought for children in the village. Many thanks to Dr Jaridi, and friends and family. 

RRHS recognises the importance of creating global relationships to further rural development. 

We are grateful to anyone who chooses to like our posts, share them with friends and donate to our cause. 

To ensure efficient distribution of clothes to the most in-need children in the village, RRHS created and sent out 400 registration forms.

This allowed us to gather information about the children, that we needed to deliver their clothes. Every registration form had a specific serial number. 

Once 400 children had been identified for donations, RRHS sorted clothes and shoes into individual carrier bags to be gifted to the children. Bags were labelled with serial numbers to ensure efficient distribution. 

Due to Covid-19, small groups of 50 children gathered to collect their clothes at any one time. This group of children can be seen waiting patiently (and excitedly!) for their clothes and shoes. 

The children, parents, locals and local government were very pleased with this donation. One child said:

"My names are Masika Joines 11 years in primary six, I am so excited, to receive clothes. In my life, this is the first time to receive clothes and shoes from friends I do know at all. Thank you so much for these items. May God bless your hands."

Another child said:

"Baluku James are my names, aged 10 years, in primary five. For me the clothes and shoes came at the time I needed them. I had no good clothes to put on when visiting. Thanks to Charles Kiima for this project. I am now able to visit my friends with new clothes and shoes. 

Once again, a massive thank you to Dr Jaridi and friends and family. We are always looking for our next project to enhance rural development. If you would like to intern or volunteer with us please email ruralservices60@gmail.com. 

103 Nurses

 

On 20th March, RRHS was joined by 103 recent Nurse Graduates as a part of a partnership with the Rwenzori School of Nursing and Midwifery - Kasese. Under this partnership, the nurses will be delivering vital health care and education to our rural area until 7th April 2023. 

The nurses can be seen here entering the village for their orientation and first day. Everyone is very excited for this journey!

Ngunule Kule David, Principal of Rwenzori School of Nursing and Midwifery - Kasese, commented to Director of RRHS:

"I take the honour to appreciate you for the service you are rendering to the community you are serving and the health related partnership established with the institution. As a school, we promise to create endless relationship as we look forward to achieve health for all."

See our nurses walking from the clinic to the village. 

Here, the nurses can be seen sharing with villagers the causes of poor health and how best to combat this. This is crucial for our area, as poor villagers are often unproportionally exposed to diseases and illnesses. We are very grateful for the work of the nurses.  

After a successful day of community planning, our nurses can be seen smiling alongside RRHS Director Charles Kiima (left). 

After the opening of the clinic, which has allowed greater medical progress for the village, this venture with nurses will improve quality of life for the locals. We are always looking for our next venture, or resources for upkeep of the Clinic. If you would like to work with us, or know more about what we do, please email ruralservices60@gmail.com. 

Be sure to check out our RRHS Facebook Page and RRHS YouTube Page for more pictures and updates, and be sure to share with your friends!

Welcome

Welcome to our page!

Rwenzori Rural Health Services (RRHS), based in Uganda, East Africa, is excited to welcome you to our page, from wherever you are in the world! 

• Here, you can learn about all the exciting things we do to improve rural and community development in Rwenzori area of the Kasese District. 
• Click on the different pages to see information about specific projects ranging from clean water access to menstrual health in young girls. 
• You will also be able to see all the pictures from our projects, from beginning to happy endings!

For more information about what we do, you can:

1. Visit our Facebook page, where we update on recent activities - RRHS Facebook Page
2. Visit our YouTube channel to learn more about our activities - RRHS YouTube 
3. Email us at ruralservices60@gmail.com

Share with your friends the links above, so we can grow us a charity. We believe in sharing experiences for  rural development. We struggle to supplement government efforts is realizing the targets set for the Sustainable Development Goals.

By sharing and reading, you become a part of our Big Family (seen below)!

Patient Success Stories

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"My life and village styles have changed since RRHS started health services in our community. Health workers visit our home, teaching our people how to improve our way of living health-wise. It is more interesting that they will visit churches around the health center and markets as well. Nowadays people wash their hands before eating anything, and also use cleaner utensils than before. They give medication to patients when they are sick. I really thank the management of RRHS for the services rendered to our community."

–Mzee Thawithe Kule, an elder of the Kabughabugha community

"When I felt unwell in the past, I could go and buy painkillers. But since RRHS health center started, I have been taught the importance of first testing for malaria and other diseases before taking any medication. I now advise other members to first go for tests before taking or buying any medication."

 –A happy RRHS patient

"I had never tested for HIV/AIDS since I was born. But after being taught by RRHS health workers, the advantages and disadvantages of knowing my status, I decided to test for HIV/AIDS and I now know my status."

 –An RRHS patient

"I could not prepare early for my wife’s pregnancies; I could only start preparing when she is approaching nine months. But RRHS health workers challenge and taught me that I am supposed to start planning when my wife tells me that she is pregnant. Now I have started buying Kivera, gloves, basins, cotton and gauze for when the baby comes even thought my wife is only two months pregnant."

–One husband

"I thank the management of RRHS Health Center for starting this center in our village. My daughter was the first to be admitted at this health center. It was very simple and easy for me to take care of the other young ones at the same time that I was looking after the one who was sick. It is my prayer that is should prosper to the extent of starting to perform caesarian sections and other procedures."

–Sarah, a mother

"I had not tested for HIV/AIDS since my childhood. This was not because I feared it, but because of a lack of health services. However much I knew that testing was administered for free in government hospitals, I never minded to test because I thought I had no problem and was not prepared for the simple test. When RRHS established in the village, services were now at home instead of 20k away from the village. I went and tested immediately. I was first welcomed by the staff and counseled before I was tested. I had to wait for a few minutes and the results were out. The nurse talked to me and told me I was positive. I was shocked but the health provider guided me and told me not to worry. She directed me to the place where I could begin ARV treatment. I am taking treatment as instructed! I thank God for RRHS and good service rendered to our community."

–Jofrey Thasobya, a young man

Scaling up water Project Village 2

Visit our Facebook page to stay up to date on our activities - RRHS Facebook Page and RRHS YouTube Page

On 11th March 2015, at the ceremonial function of ending the first water project, the two neighbouring communities, requested RRHS to scale up the project to benefit more people. The leaders of the  two villages informed RRHS of the Natural spring that was constructed  before 1968; but still giving very good volume of water. On 13th June 2015, RRHS Delegation, mobilized  the intended beneficiaries to clean the spring in preparation for a brighter future. The spring that people use now is hidden in the bush as you may see. read below to follow the story.

RRHS  and the beneficiaries have cleaned the bush, opening the water source for people to use. every one  here is surprised and happy  to have a clean water source. RRHS believe that " Development is process" there is need to continue teaching rural people about the values of Good Health. RRHS appeals to friends globally, to join hands and ensure that this Natural spring is improved to a gravity flow. follow the story below:

After Cleaning the water source, every person was able to tell  that the water is enough to be gravitated.
The Director RRHS  as you see him work,  said " what is required of now is to mobilize resources to purchase materials for constructing/ improving the sources, constructing the reserve   water tank, acquiring HDP pipes, and then extend clean water within reach of people." After this, peoples time will be saved for other development activities hence alleviating poverty for all. Tell a friend about this community organization. Keep following the story ....  

RRHS Intern,  from Collorado Collage  USA, in July 2015, visited to discover the  water source proposed for a Min gravity flow to benefit  RRHS  Village 2. The  Purpose of the intern's visit was to be able to inform  external willing friends about the AS -IS -situation. Invite your friends to like this page.

The RRHS  Intern and a professional Registered Midwife, after assessing the level of community understanding of Hiv/Aids, decides to train on the  Dangers of HIV/Aids and cross cultural experiences.
This is the time for you to plan and come to share your related skills. 

The picture below: Community members in a meeting discussing to start a savings and credits Group. This is like a village bank. Community members have agreed   to  start saving in this group, and taking small credits. By the time of realizing funding for this project, all planned beneficiaries will have been used to the system. operations and maintenance will be easy. This project sustainability strategy has already worked well in the first village. we have already developed cash receipt books, Savings books, Member application forms, and official loans application forms. Mr. Kiima T.Charles, RRHS  Executive Director, is seen explaining to the people how a self driven  system works.

A team of thirty five stake holders, decides to come for another meeting to plan for the proposed min gravity flow scheme project. email to us for details : ruralservices60@gmail.com. 

Visit the pages on our blog for more detail about these projects. 

Visit our RRHS Facebook Page for current/recent activities.