Suubi Update Blog

May 3rd, Suubi Youth Participate in Income Producing Activities.

Wed, 16 May 2012 01:57:00 GMT

Suubi has been a hive activity for the youth involved at the centre over the last few weeks.

Firstly a brick making machine, which was purchased as a result of the severe storm that swept through Lubanda Village late last year, arrived at the centre. At the time of the storm, many peoples homes were damaged and they sought assistance from Suubi Centre.

It was decided at that time that the best way to support people, and have a long term impact, would be to educate them on how to build stronger homes in the future. This set the wheels in motion and we began searching for a brick press which can make considerably stronger bricks than the traditionally hand made and wood fire ones that were being used in the village. It was agreed that Suubi Centre should purchase the machine and set about teaching people in the village, particularly the youth, a new set of skills. An interested group of youth have now been found and they are currently undertaking training in brick making, roofing and ridging tiles, flooring tiles and facing bricks from Ndula Emmanuel (Faasi) who has over twenty years experience in this field.

In this way the youth can gain valuable skills which they may ultimately be able to earn an income from, the wider community benefits because stronger homes will be built in the area and Suubi Centre will be able to hire out the machine in the future to help with self sustainability of the overall project. Surely a win win for everyone!

The Suubi youth test out the new machine; the dirt goes in....

and out comes the brick!

Then just last week four youth from Suubi Centre, participated in a one week entrepreneurship training that was organised by Kisekka Sub-county and World Vision. The training was to pass on skills in making soap, candles and cakes to the participant with an overall aim of helping young people create employment for themselves.

Over 30 people participated from various areas in the sub county with the training taking place at the sub-county head quarters. From Suubi Centre, Kasozi Emmanuel, Nakibuuka Lilian, Namakula Doreen and Namatovu Fatumah participated. Samples of soap, cakes and candles were produced and our participants thoroughly enjoyed the experience as they learnt these new skills.

Aussie volunteer, Ian, give the girls a lift to the venue.

Lilian, Doreen & Fatumah look pleased with the soap they made.

Lilian tries out candle making.

Purpose made candle moulds made the job easier.

Cake making was also demonstrated.

And participants got a chance to make their own.

We are currently in the process of organising similar workshops at Suubi and those who participated in this training are confident that they can pass on the skills to others who show an interest at the Centre.

April 23rd, Expanding Our Mushroom Project

Wed, 16 May 2012 01:16:00 GMT

The last few weeks have seen the expansion of the Suubi mushroom project really taking off.

Parents from two of our Ugandan partner schools, Omoding PS and Sharon PS, have shown a real commitment, over a number of months, to demonstrate how keen they are to learn the skills of mushroom growing. These two schools will now become satellite centres for Suubi, whereby both the school itself and the parents will be able to earn an income from their mushroom growing. This is bound to alleviate some of the pressure associated with school fees, educational expenses and purchasing resources for the school.

As both of these schools are quite a distance from Suubi, it required the school community to build a mushroom house at their respective schools. The inexpensive construction is made from bush poles, local vines, mud, and is finished off with a grass roof.

Omoding parents hard at work constructing a mushroom house earlier this year.

Sharon Primary Schools completed mushroom house.

These houses at the schools are now being used as part of the demonstration as parents and teachers take on the practical training. Eventually they will be where the schools mushrooms are grown from.

With their mushroom house complete, interested parents from both schools undertook the theoretical training earlier this year and just last week, they completed the practical training. Each step of the process to successfully grow mushrooms was clearly explained and then demonstrated to them by the ladies from Suubi Centre.

Namirembe Rose, from Suubi Centre, passes on skills of how break apart the mushroom spore to parents at Omoding Primary School.

The Suubi Ladies demonstrate how to pack polythene bags with coffee husks in readiness for planting the mushroom spore.

Hands on training gave all the participants an opportunity to distribute mushroom spore into coffee husk filled bags of their own. They will now be able to watch as the crop progresses.

And then the bags were placed on racks inside the mushroom houses.

The newly planeted spore will remain in complete darkness inside the mushroom house for approximately 2 weeks. At this point, tiny mushrooms will start to appear from the holes which were made in the polythene bags and they will simply require watering each morning and night. Within a month the schools will be able to start harvesting their mushrooms!

With the full training now complete, parents from each of the schools are starting to construct mushroom houses at their own homes. Solar mushroom driers have been provided at each of the schools and these will be available for all participating school community members to use.

The mushroom solar drier at Sharon PS under construction.

Omoding teachers and parents check out their new solar drier.

With three groups (Suubi Centre, Omoding PS and Sharon PS) all participating in mushroom growing we now have a greater capacity to grow larger quantities. Our aim is to find additional markets closer to Suubi Centre, in addition to the dried mushroom we currently ship to western Uganda for export sale. This of course will mean a greater profit for all those involved. What a wonderful outcome!

Check out the progress after just 3 short weeks!

March 22nd, International Women's Day Celebrations.

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:24:00 GMT

There was much excitement on March 22nd when Lwengo District held an event to celebrate International Women's Day. It was a chance for local women to get together, share idea, discuss issues, enjoy each others company, but most importantly, celebrate being women of the world! The event gave women from across the district the opportunity to showcase many of the wonderful things which are being achieved by women in the area.

The Suubi Centre exhibit was one of the highlights of the event, with people from across the district coming to check out the different things they can get involved with at the centre. The Suubi ladies did an excellent job of sharing some of the many skills they have learnt while attending the centre. They displayed their sewing and knitting skills which included schools uniforms and jumpers, jewellery made from recycled paper, woven crafts made from palm leaves and they also sold dried mushrooms which they had grown.

It is hard to believe that just a few short years ago, none of the Suubi ladies would have had the opportunity to participate in such an event, so it is very exciting to watch as they grow in confidence with each outing.

The Suubi Ladies exhibited a variety of items and skills which they have learnt from attending training sessions and classes at Suubi Centre.

The Suubi Ladies enthusiastically participated by dancing with some of the official party which attended the event.

The Suubi medical team also took the opportunity to get involved on the day. With so many of the wider community attending the event, it was and ideal time to create more awareness about what services are available at Suubi. Erias, our lab technician, carried out HIV/AIDS and malaria tests, blood pressure testing and also offered free ear cleaning. These services attracted many people to the Suubi stall, which we hope will encourage them to come to the Suubi Clinic if they have a need in the future.

Erias takes the blood pressure of one of the ladies attending the event.

There was a steady stream of people lined up to take advantage of the blood tests that were available on the day.

With this being the second year that Suubi has been part of Lwengo District's International Womens Day event, we can only see the 2013 event being even bigger and better. We look forward to it!

February 27th, Welcome To Baby 'Hope' At Suubi Centre

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 02:38:00 GMT

We would like to say a huge welcome to our newest edition at Suubi Centre. Usually on this website you would have seen Namwange Florence, our Suubi Clinic nurse and midwife, delivering other women's babies. Recently however, we were all thrilled when she gave birth to her own beautiful little daughter. Arriving 11 days late, the baby weighed in at a very healthy 3.7kg. Florence has decided to name her 'Hope', which seems absolutely perfect when you know that Suubi is the lugandan word for hope!

Congratulations to Florence on the safe arrival of baby 'Hope'.

February 4th, Medical Supplies Put To Good Use.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 02:52:00 GMT

When Laurence Webb's team of 19 corporate volunteers recently visited Suubi Centre we were able to to send a large quantity of medical supplies, which had been kindly donated by Kyabram Health Services.

The Suubi medical team were thrilled to receive the large variety of supplies which ranged from bandages and IV lines, through to diabetes diagnostic kits, resuscitation units, linen for ward beds and much more. We were also thrilled to be able to send Medical Director software which had been generously donated by Health Communication Network. This was installed on five of the six laptops which Laurence's Helping Hand group had donated to the Suubi Clinic and had networked throughout the building while they were at the Centre. This innovative and broad based software will allow the Suubi medical team to keep detailed patient records which will lead to better patient care and outcomes. It certainly is a huge step forward from the paper filing system which is currently being used in the majority of medical facilities in Uganda.

The latest babies born at Suubi Clinic on January 14th and 28th were fortunate to have medical supplies sent from Australia on hand for use during their deliveries.

The ward beds at Suubi Clinic have now been fitted with sheets and quilts which were no longer required at Kyabram Health Services. This easily washable and light weight linen will help to provide a clean environment for patients to recover in.

Jjuuko Richard, Suubi Clinician, (above) is putting the Medical Direct software to great use and is now able to keep accurate and extensive patient records. Twins, Wasswa and Kato, who were the first delivery at the clinic in October, recently returned for a check up. (below) They are now a pair of bouncing baby boys who's medical records will be on hand at the push of a button!

It is indeed a thrill to watch as the relationship between the medical fraternities in Australia and Uganda continuing to grow. To know that it is truly making a significant difference to patient care at Suubi Clinic is exciting for everyone. A huge thank you to everyone that is helping to make this possible.

January 20th, Suubi A Buzz With Activity.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:48:00 GMT

Recently a team of 19 corporate volunteers visited our Suubi Complex, in Lubanda Village, Uganda. This came about after Laurence Webb, who established Helping Hand; a program that aims to re-use decommissioned PCs and laptops in a responsible and cost effective way, first provided Suubi with 8 laptops in 2009. Helping Hand has now donated over 8000 computers in 14 different countries. Each year Laurence takes a group of volunteers from large corporations, that have often donated IT equipment, to visit some of the projects that have benefited from this wonderful initiative. During this years trip, projects in Kenya, Uganda and Mali will all be visited by the group.

Much to the excitement of everyone in the village, the Helping Hand team planned to spend four days holding a variety of workshops across all age groups. So when they finally arrived on January 13th there were celebrations all round!

Having safely arrived (Top) the children from OMODING Primary School welcomed Laurence's group with traditional singing and dancing. (Bottom)

Gifts from the local community, including chickens, bananas and sugarcane were presented to the visitors (Top) before the Suubi Ladies and Children's music and dance group joined with the OMODING students to perform for them. (Bottom)

After touring around the facilities at the centre and a good nights rest, the volunteer team set to work the next day holding workshops. These included film making for some of the teens in the village, a business plan workshop which focused on establishing a coffee growing business for a group of 24 youth in the area, nutrition workshop for the wider community, career guidance for students and help with marketing for the Suubi Craft ladies. And while all that was going on, the teams computer guru, Damien, was busy networking six new laptops into the Suubi Health Clinic!

Ssemwogerere David showed the team around the Suubi complex, including a locally made water tank that is in the process of being built (Top) and the new banda which the volunteers donations had funded (Bottom)

Mark conducted film making workshops for the youth (Top) while Laurence, Yuri and Liz held business planning workshops. (Bottom)

Suubi Craft Ladies were helped with marketing strategies (Top) while Sally and Loretta gave career guidance to local students. (Bottom)

Katherine held nutrition workshops for the wider community (Top) and after a big day the 'Muzungus' (white folks) took on the Ugandans in a soccer match to unwind. (Bottom)

The following day the team visited OMODING Primary school, one of Suubi's partner schools, to check out their amazing school gardens. Although they have very basic structures and facilities, the school works incredibly hard to provide their students with an education that will lead them towards a better life. The team was so taken by the enthusiasm of everyone at the school that they returned a couple of days later to distribute books, pen and pencils which they had bought with them.

With follow up work shops completed, the team took a couple of days off to tour Queen Elizabeth National Park where they went on safari and cruised the Kizinga Channel. There was much excitement on the morning they were due to leave though; another new baby was delivered at the Suubi Clinic!

Laurence was introduced to the mother and new baby that timed their arrival perfectly!

After returning to Suubi a few days later, for a final farewell with the community, the team headed to Entebbe where they had a dinner an evaluation meeting with David. Everyone agreed that the trip had been a huge success, with many commenting that they wished they could have stayed longer!

A huge thank you to everyone who helped to organise and co-ordinate this wonderful visit to Suubi.

The team has now moved on to the project in Mali where we wish them well. We feel very sure they will stay in touch and follow, with great interest, the progress at Suubi.

January 8th, New Volunteers Now At Suubi.

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:16:00 GMT

Three new volunteers have now settled in well at Suubi. In a few days time they will be joined by a group of 19 corporate volunteers, who will be in the village for four days to hold a variety of workshops.

Ian McInnes, from Bunbury in Western Australia, was the first to arrive on December 14th and plans to be at Suubi for between 3 and 6 months. Ian was lucky enough to spend Christmas with Ssemwogerere David's extended family, where he was warmly welcomed. He has been busy painting, erecting signs and is in the process of building an inexpensive demonstration tank at the centre. As it is made from vines, bamboo, mud and cow manure it is hoped that villagers will be able to use the same technique at their own homes.

Ian vanishes the timber poles in the front of the new 3rd banda

and helps install the Suubi sign post.

Hannah Jansen and Rachel Walker arrived at Suubi after having spent New Years eve in Kampala, Uganda's capital city. This was quite a different experience to how they usually celebrate back home in Australia! They plan to be at Suubi for 6 weeks before Hannah heads off on a 7 week overland trip to South Africa. Since arriving Hannah has been helping out with packaging and recording craft items which the Suubi ladies have been busily making. As Rachel is studying agriculture she will be spending quite a bit of time in the demonstration gardens where she will pass on valuable skills relating to composting.

Hannah and Rachel hard at work in the Suubi demonstration garden

where they are establishing a new composting area.

And soon Laurence Webb and his team will be landing at Suubi. Everyone in the village is very excited about the prospect of participating in a variety of workshops which will include "How to Start a Business", "The Importance of Proper Nutrition", "Filming Making" and "New Computer Skills" to name but a few.

So with all this activity going on, Lubanda village will be buzzing over the coming weeks!

10/12/2011, Suubi Community Clinic connects to Kyabram Health Services

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:18:00 GMT

Everyone at Suubi Community Health Clinic was very excited when a recently formed connection with Kyabram Health Services was formalised by the Kyabram hospital board.

Initial communication between interested staff from Kyabram Hospital and the Suubi medical team began during November. It is hoped that this relationship will develop to a point where staff from each medical facility will be able to learn from one another, while still on opposite sides of the world. Over time, we hope medical staff from Kyabram and district will make the life changing trip to Uganda to spend time volunteering at the Suubi Clinic.

Justin Sullivan and Loretta Lilford from Kyabram (top) have been communicating with Jjuuko Richard, Namwange Florence and Niwamanya Elias (below) from Suubi Clinic.

Another compelling component of the new connection is that medical supplies and equipment, that are no longer required at Kyabram Health Services, are being collected and sent to Suubi Clinic. What is often regarded as no longer useful, or past its use by date in Australia, is greatfully appreciated and can be put to good use in Uganda.

The first quantity of supplies was recently packed to be sent with a group of volunteers making the trip to Suubi Clinic early next year. Everything had to be carefully weighed to make sure it would fit in their luggage.

We feel very sure this connection will continue to develop in ways that we have not dared to imagine in the past. The Ugandan and Australian medical fraternity will undoubtedly grow and learn from this wonderful new link for many years to come.

6/12/2011, Suubi Youth Learn Coffee Grafting

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:35:00 GMT

Throughout October and early November five Suubi youth undertook training in coffee grafting at one of the recognised coffee farms in Lwengo district. This committed team traveled 10 kms from Suubi each Monday and Friday to learn the new skill which will eventually see them grafting seedlings to sell to the wider community.

The trainers carefully watched over the boys as they prepared soil,

which was then added it to the plastic grafting bags.

Grafts were added to each of the bags.

And then placed under cover to allow them time to establish roots.

By the end of the 6 week training period the boys were able to plant out their seedlings.

Then it was back to Suubi to establish a seedling nursery where they will pass on their new found skills to others.

At the end of the training period, the group was excited to return to Suubi and set up a coffee seedling nursery of their own. During December they have set about training other interested youth in the area in the art of coffee grafting. Once the newly established seedlings have reached the required size, all of the youth will be able to set up their own coffee gardens as a why of generating an income. What a wonderful initiative!

31/10/2011, Suubi Music, Dance and Drama Festival held at Kyasonko

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:37:00 GMT

The 2nd annual Suubi music, dance and drama festival was held last Saturday at Kyasonko Primary school. Many of Suubi's partner schools had been waiting a full year, since last years event, to try improve on their performances. They certainly did not disappoint with all participants providing a day filled with rhythm, colour, movement and most importantly, fun for everyone.

Each of the schools were required to perform a poem, folk song, creative dance, traditional dance and short play all of which would educate the audience about the importance of 'Sanitation and health in schools.'

This theme had been chosen for the day after the recent opening of the Suubi Clinic. Staff from Suubi felt it was and ideal opportunity to pass on vital information about the importance of good sanitation and health in schools. Sanitation has a direct impact on the pupils’ academic performances. Poor pit latrine facilities and a lack of provisions for hand washing causes lots of disease including diarrhoea. This can easily then be spread throughout the school YET it is something that can be avoided if facilities are maintained well and proper hygiene is practiced at the school.

The students from the eight participating primary schools (OMDING, Sharon, Kyasonko, Busubi, Kyembazi, Kiswera, Namulanda and Bright Light) did a wonderful job of passing on this message to teachers, fellow students and parents who were thoroughly entertained at the same time!

Sharon Primary School students were an absolute hit with everyone when they preformed their traditional dance. The judges were so impressed they awarded them the winner of that category. They also took out top honours in the creative dance and original song.

One of the new entrants for this years event, Kyembazi Primary school, was awarded the runner up in traditional dance. Their colourful costumes put everyone in a loving mood.

Kyasonko Primary school proved to be a stand out with their poem and short play taking out first prize in both these categories.

Children from Omoding Primary school had a wonderful time on the drums as they backed up their fellow student throughout the course of the day.

With scores for each category tallied at the end of the day it was very exciting to see that last years runners up, Sharon Primary School, had been rewarded for all their practise throughout the year. They were awarded the overall winners of the 2nd annual Suubi Music, Dance and Drama Festival.

As was the case last year, a tour and full evaluation of all participating schools was held in the lead up to Saturday's event. A team from Suubi Centre, Jjuuko Richard, Niwamanya Elias and Najjuuko Zakia, were responsible for deciding which school would be awarded with the Best School Garden and Best Sanitation. The school gardens and sanitation facilities at our partner school are playing a vital role in demonstrating how families should do things at home. OMODING Primary school was thrilled to take out the honour in both these categories followed very closely by Kyembazzi. See full results of entire event below.

Students from OMDING Primary School were very proud to get their hands on the Suubi Centre trophy.

Overall Winner: Sharon PS

Traditional Dance: Winner - Sharon PS, Runner Up - Kyembazzi PS

Creative Dance: Winner - Sharon PS, Runner Up -Busubi PS

Original Song: Winner - Sharon PS, Runner Up - Kiswera PS

Poem: Winner - Kyasonko PS, Runner Up - OMDING PS

Short Play: Winner - Kyasonko PS, Runner Up - Kiswera PS

Best School Garden: Winner - OMODING PS, Runner Up - Kyembazzi PS

Best sanitation at a school: Winner - OMODING PS, Runner Up - Kyembazzi PS

With students, teachers and the wider community all having a wonderful time at last Saturdays event, it's terrific to know that the Ugandan's love of music, dance and drama is also helping to educate so many people at the same time.

We can't wait to see what the 2012 Suubi Music, Dance and Drama Festival brings!

29/10/2011, First Delivery at Suubi Clinic - Twins!

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:37:00 GMT

Suubi Centre was a buzz with excitement yesterday when a heavily pregnant lady, Nakawooya Immaculate, and her family arrived at the Suubi Clinic.

The number of patients being treated at the Suubi Clinic had been steadily increasing since it first opened its doors for treatment on August 1st, but everyone had been eagerly awaiting the first delivery at the clinic. When Immaculate settled into the ward on Friday morning the medical team knew she would soon give birth to the first baby at Suubi. How exciting!

With Suubi medical staff, Namwanje Florence (midwife) and Jjuuko Richard (doctor), carefully monitoring the mother throughout the day her labour steadily progressed. By mid evening she had produced a beautiful baby boy.

The Suubi medical team excitedly attend to the first baby.

But much to everyone's surprise Immaculate had not finished there. By 10pm a second bundle of joy, another boy, had arrived to join his brother. TWINS!

The very first delivery, at our newly established clinic in the village, was made even more exciting by the fact that TWINS had arrived.

It was indeed fitting that the very first arrival at Suubi Clinic produced twins. This is seen as an extremely special event in Uganda. Wasswa (1st born) and Kato (2nd born), the names traditionally given to twin boys in Uganda and their mum, Nakawooya Immaculate, will take absolute pride of place in our record books. (In case you are wondering, they would have been named Babirye and Nakato respectively if they had been girls.)

The fact that Immaculate had absolutely no prior knowledge that she was going to be having twins really highlights the difference between a mothers pregnancy journey in a third world country and the western world. Here in Australia, mothers would have had regular check ups with the doctor, multiple scans and been closely monitored right throughout her pregnancy. In Uganda, mothers rarely see a doctor during pregnancy, especially those living deep in a village like Lubanda. And to top that off, they often deliver their babies at home by themselves.

So to see Immaculate deliver two healthy (2.9kg) baby boys at a Suubi Clinic is a huge step in the right direction. Lets hope that many other expectant mothers around the area follow her lead.

Immaculate (left) and her husband were surrounded by extended family as they left the clinic with their beautiful, healthy, twin sons!

Check out more photos of the twins here.

19/10/2011, Rebuilding After Severe Storm in Lubanda

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:37:00 GMT

In mid September we were extremely saddened when Lubanda Village was hit by a severe storm. Strong winds, previously unseen by local elders, whipped through the northern end of the village leaving a path of destruction. Forty homes, Bright Light Primary School and many of the districts matooke plantations were extensively damaged.

Directly after the storm hit, Lubanda Community banded together to support one another. Those left homeless squeezed in with family and friends while they tried to find a way to rebuild their homes. During this incredibly difficult time, Suubi Centre proved to be a great asset to the local community. It was the place where everyone gathered, almost on a daily basis, as they emotionally supported one another. Initially publicly meetings were held at the centre to brainstorm the best way to move forward.

Since that time Suubi staff have been busy co-ordinating the tireless efforts of concerned community members and local councillors as everyone has banded together to help those affected by the storm to get back on their feet. The Centre became the distribution point for materials which were purchased from the relatively small amount of money which was made available by HUG. These funds were predominately raised from the sale of beautiful hand-made craft items from the Suubi Craft Ladies, a 'Comedy Showcase' fundraising event and money donated by our wonderful HUG supporters.

Check out the progress so far:

Bags of cement, nails, iron sheets for roofing, bricks and loads of sand were distributed amongst those affected by the storm.

The following sets of photos are examples of homes which received building materials. The first image shows some of the damage caused by the storm, while the second shows what has been achieved since then.

Materials were soon put to use and rebuilding began in ernest.

The community lent a hand to provide labour, particularly helping the elderly who would otherwise struggle to rebuild for themselves.

Recovered materials from damaged structures and those donated were put together to reconstruct people's homes.

Home owners worked beside builders to re-establish a place for their families to sleep again.

After so much discussion took place as to how we would respond when we first heard about the storm, we are thrilled to see that the community in Lubanda has once again shown that they do not merely expect a 'hand out.' We simply provided a small 'leg up' and from there on the amazing community spirit, that often comes to the fore during times of disaster, has swung into action. Family, friends and the wider community have put their hands up help. This has not only helped the rebuilding of the physical structures but it has emotionally lifted the spirits of those affected as they realised they were not alone during such a difficult time.

7/8/2011, Suubi Clinic Sees First Patients

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:42:00 GMT

After two and a half years of successfully integrating Suubi Education and Community Centre into the day to day lives of people in and around Lubanda Village we are thrilled to have added the Suubi Community Health Centre to our complex.

The health centre structure began being built on December 24th 2010 and opened it doors for health education sessions during July 2011. Check out the Suubi Community Health Centre Photo Gallery to watch the building go up before your eyes or click here to see the clinic in action.

The building had the finishing touched put on during July.

We are very excited to let you know that at the beginning of August we began seeing patients! This means that people in the area no longer have to travel long distances to be treated at a quality health facility. With laboratory facilities available on site, patients can now get an accurate diagnosis without having to leave the village. And should they need treatment which requires being admitted, this is also possible at the Suubi Clinic.

Jjuuko Richard examines one of the first patients at the new Suubi Clinic.

Niwamanya Elias withdraws blood from a patient.

He is then able to use the brand new microscope to make an accurate diagnosis.

This elderly grandmother no longer has to carry her sick grandchild a long distance to be admitted.

Everyone is thrilled to now have the Suubi clinic fully operational. The availability of medical treatment and laboratory testing is a huge step forward for the local community. Having said that, our focus will always be on helping to prevent illness rather than having to provide a cure. Our aim will be on encouraging people to live a healthy lifestyle. Ongoing educational workshops will address many health issues including, sanitation, reproductive health, mother and childhood development, nutrition, family planning, malaria and HIV.

Suubi Community Health Clinic is sure to improve the lives of many Ugandans long into the future. Well done and a huge thank you to everyone that has worked tirelessly to make it a reality.

May 9th to July 17th 2011 Volunteers at Suubi

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:30:00 GMT

From May 9th through to July 17th, the 2011 volunteers immersed themselves in the Ugandan way of life. Helping out with the final stages of getting the new Suubi Community Health Clinic up and running was a big part of the experience. There were certainly many other exciting activities going on at Suubi during this time as well though. To read all about it you can check it out here.

29/3/2011, International Women's Day Celebrations

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:29:00 GMT

The very first Lwengo District event was held on March 29th when International Women's Day celebrations were held at Kaboyo Primary school. The day proved to be a huge success with officials, schools and the wider community attending to celebrate the many wonderful things that are being achieved by women in the newly formed district.

Lwengo District was formed in July 2010 after Masaka District was officially divided in to two smaller sections. As Suubi Cenrtre is located in Lubanda Village, it now falls into the area being governed by the new Lwengo district. With this in mind, the Suubi ladies enthusiastically took part in the event. It was an ideal place for them to display the knitting, sewing, weaving and paper bead skills which they have learnt at Suubi. Through out the day many members of the wider community were also keen to hear about the knowledge the ladies now have in mushroom growing. The Suubi ladies also took the opportunity sell both fresh and dried mushrooms on the day.

Many people came to the Suubi stall to learn about mushroom growing and to buy the ladies produce.

Men, women and children were keen to see everything on show at the Suubi stall.

The International Women's Day was localised to meet Ugandan requirements with the theme for the day being, "Act Now - Promote Maternal Health". This was chosen for Uganda based on the high rates of maternal health related problems throughout out the country. It fitted in perfectly with the fact that we are currently establishing the Suubi Community Health Centre in the hope of addressing this very issue, among others.

With many officials from the newly formed Lwengo district and other state ministers at the event, Ssemwogerere David took the opportunity to explain the wide variety of activities taking place at Suubi Centre, including the building of our new Suubi Clinic. They were impressed with what they saw and heard and are now very keen to assist the ongoing development of the Centre.

State environment minister, Jesica Eriyo, was very interested to here about programs running at Suubi from Ssemwogerere David.

Another highlight of the day came when the Suubi Ladies were selected to be part of the entertaining group for invited guests and the large crowd. The Suubi ladies performance carried a message calling on men to take great care of their wives during pregnancy and after childbirth. Female students from Omding Primary School, one of the Suubi partner schools, also accompanied the Suubi team and they were thrilled to be given an opportunity to present a song before the invited guests.

The Suubi ladies performed for the large crowd and visiting officials.

Everyone from Suubi, who attended the very first Lwengo District event, thoroughly enjoyed the day and look forward to participating in many more in the future.