Sunday 27 February 2011


Watu 24 wamethibitika kufa katika ajali ya milipuko ya mabomu iliyotokea katika kambi ya Jeshi la Wananchi Tanzania kikosi cha 511, Gongo la Mboto Dar es Salaam tarehe 16/02/2011.


Taarifa ya Serikali imeeleza kwamba marehemu wote 24 walitambuliwa na Serikali kugharamia mazishi yao kama ilivyoahidi. Baadhi ya marehemu walisafirishwa kwenda kuzikwa makwao katika Mikoa ya Kagera, Mara, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Pwani, Lindi, Mbeya, Mtwara na Dar es Salaam.


Hata hivyo maiti moja ya kichanga cha miezi minane mpaka sasa haijathibitika kuwa kifo chake kilitokana na milipuko ya mabomu, kutokana na taarifa zake za awali kutopatikana katika orodha ya majeruhi waliopokelewa katika dispensari ya Kitunda, Hospitali ya Amana na Hospitali ya Taifa ya Muhimbili.


Taarifa ya awali kutoka chumba cha kuhifadhia maiti cha Hospital ya Muhimbili ilimworodhesha Bwana Abdallah Magadi kuwa ni miongoni mwa marehemu wa milipuko hiyo, wakati yeyé ndiye aliyepeleka mwili wa marehemu Itato Madafu ambaye kifo chake kilitokana na ajali ya gari tarehe 29/1/2011 maeneo ya Chalinze Wilaya ya Bagamoyo.
Katika milipuko hiyo ya mabomu zaidi ya watu 512 walijeruhiwa, ambapo Hospitali ya Amana iliwapokea majeruhi 256, Temeke 139, Muhimbili 87, na Zahanati ya Chanika 30.
Katika tukio hilo hadi sasa nyumba 75 zimethibitika kubomolewa, nyumba hizo zilikuwa na kaya 115 zenye watu 539.


Aidha, hadi taarifa hii inaandaliwa jumla ya watoto 140 hawajulikani mahali walipo na hivyo Serikali inatoa wito kwa wananchi pindi wawaonapo watoto ambao wanasadikiwa kupotea kufuatia tukio ya milipuko hiyo kutoa taarifa katika vituo vya Polisi, Ofisi za Serikali za Mitaa na katika vyombo vya habari ili kurahisisha utambuzi wao.
Hadi hivi sasa Serikali kupitia Ofisi ya Waziri Mkuu imetoa fedha taslim shs.


500,000,000/= kwa ajili ya kulipia huduma za awali zikiwemo gharama za mazishi, rambirambi na kununua vyakula kwa ajili ya waathirika. Pamoja na fedha hizo ofisi hiyo imetoa vifaa vifuatavyo mahema (101), magodoro (538), vyombo vya kupikia makasha (80), seti ya vifaa vya usafi wa mwili (100) Blanketi za wakubwa (400) na Blanketi za watoto (200).


Wakati huo huo Ofisi ya Mkuu wa Mkoa wa Dar es Salaam inayoratibu shughuli za maafa ya milipuko ya mabomu ya Gongo la Mboto imepokea misaada mbalimbali fedha na vifaa ikiwemo magodoro, blanketi, shuka, mito, vyandarua, nguo mchanganyiko sabuni, dawa mbalimbali, vyakula kwa ajili ya kuvigawa kwa waathirika.


Serikali kwa namna ya pekee inatoa shukrani za dhati kwa wale wote waliotoa misaada ya hali na mali kusaidia waathirika wa janga hili.


Aidha, Serikali inawahakikishia kuwa kazi ya ukusanyaji mabomu inaendelea na inawaomba wananchi kutoa taarifa pindi wayaonapo katika maeneo yao.


Imetolewa Na:
IDARA YA HABARI (MAELEZO)
24 Februari, 2011Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz

Saturday 26 February 2011

David Cameron explains why he's voting No to AV

Suspension of United States Embassy Operations in Libya


Press Statement
Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public AffairsWashington, DC

February 25, 2011


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Given current security conditions in Libya, coupled with our inability to guarantee fully the safety and security of our diplomatic personnel in the country, the Department of State has temporarily withdrawn Embassy personnel from Tripoli and suspended all embassy operations effective February 25, 2011. The safety of the American community remains paramount to the Department and we will continue to provide assistance to the greatest extent possible through other missions.



Friday 25 February 2011



Ayoub mzee with the Ghana High commissioner in the UK Professor Kwaku Boafo

Thursday 24 February 2011

LIBYA leader Col Gadhafi

William Hague -UK foreign secretary
Foreign Secretary on Libya
23 February 2011

Foreign Secretary William Hague said that the UK is "taking every action to get the remaining British nationals in Libya out of harm's way".
In a statement the Foreign Secretary said that the safety of British nationals in Libya remains "our top priority":

"The safety of British nationals in Libya remains our top priority. As we announced earlier, a charter flight is this afternoon leaving Gatwick airport for Tripoli to bring British nationals home from Libya. Another such flight is planned to depart later this evening. A third flight will leave early tomorrow morning if it is needed. We will send as many planes as are necessary to bring home British nationals. In addition, HMS Cumberland will arrive off Libyan waters tonight.

Over the past week hundreds of British nationals have been able to leave Libya on scheduled flights, many of them assisted by the Foreign Office. However, there are we think at least 300 remaining in the Tripoli area, and some expected scheduled flights have not materialised. So we decided to send these charter flights as rapidly as possible.
We are one of very few countries to have sent rapid deployment teams, three in total to Libya, so that we have a robust specialist presence on the ground which will be strengthened further tonight. We also have deployed staff to Libya’s border with Tunisia to assist those who have made their way to the border. We have a team of at least 50 dedicated staff at the Foreign Office working night and day taking calls from British citizens and implementing our emergency plans.

Our preference clearly is for people to be able to leave either on commercial flights as they have been doing, or on our specially arranged charter flights as they will now be able to do, rather than to send in military flights without permission which is obviously riskier to the safety of all those involved. Although we don’t by any means rule out doing that.

No one can fail to be deeply concerned about the plight of as many as 170 British nationals in the desert, the vast majority of who work for oil companies in desert camps alongside the nationals of many other countries. These camps are remote and isolated they are scattered over a large distance, and are dependent for food and water on supplies from Libyan cities that have been severely disrupted by the violence and unrest. Some we know have been subjected to attacks and looting.

They are in a perilous and frightening situation. We are working intensively on a range of options to secure their safe passage from Libya, working with other countries whose nationals are in the same position. We have made every effort to contact them and their employers to provide what advice and assistance we can. Such efforts have been hampered by extensive disruption to Libyan telecommunications systems since over the last few days.

This is an important message for the those individuals : if you have not yet made contact with us you must try to do so. You should contact us on the Foreign Office hotline. That number is 020 7008 0000.

Any companies employing British nationals in Libya who have not yet made contact with us should do so, on the same number.

Every country we have spoken to with nationals in these desert camps is in a similar situation. All of us are exploring every avenue to assist our nationals. All of us are conscious that the situation in Libya is very different from that we faced in Tunisia or Egypt over the last few weeks. In those countries there were large protests chiefly in urban areas. In Libya what is happening is civil strife: a country split geographically in two, split between Government and people, and with widespread breakdown of law and order.

So we are taking every action to get the remaining British nationals in Libya out of harm’s way.

We are greatly concerned about the loss of life in Libya and their government’s failure to protect its own people. Indeed their behaviour of government launching attacks on own people.

We succeeded yesterday in securing a statement of the UN Security Council, and in achieving a special meeting of the UN Human Rights Council this Friday.

We believe that those who commit or sanction crimes or human rights abuses in Libya should be held to account. That is our clear message and warning to them in the future.

To those in Libya who may be guilty of such acts, that Britain and our partners around the world will be doing everything to hold them to account in future. This will be a major focus of Britain’s diplomacy in the coming days."





Further information
Libya travel advice
British Embassy, Tripoli
Register with LOCATE to help us find you in an emergency
Get travel updates from British abroad on Facebook and @britishabroad on Twitter

Community Projects Africa is a registered UK charity set up in 2003 to provide support for impoverished people living in south and east Africa, predominantly Tanzania



Working with village elders and councils, we support community projects that provide schooling, vocational training, sanitation and safe water supplies.

Integral to their mission and projects is the education of such communities on HIV Aids and assistance for families affected, as well as the promotion of environmentally friendly activities and conservation especiaaly in Tanzania.

The Director of Tanzania Trade center Mr Yusuf Kashangwa in London was also present




The Tanzania High commissioner in London H.E PETER KALLAGHE with other guests at the event
CPA works very closely with the Non Governmental Organisation, the Association For Community Empowerment and Development (ACEDE), in Tanzania.

H.E PETER KALLAGHE nad Mrsd Peter Kallaghe with guests to the event




H.E Peter kallaghe addressed the Congregation
There was also a music performance from a Tanzania Artist based in Reading Berckshire

They believe that working with such a local organisation significantly contributes to the success and sustainability of long term community projects, ensuring that all projects are backed and supported by the local people. To learn more about ACEDE and their work in Tanzania, please do visit their website, www.acedetz.org






The new deal Africa Director with H.E Kallaghe with a painting bought to raise funds to support education in Tanzania


Community Projects Africa has the following objectives and through these aims, believe that we can contribute towards supporting impoverished communities.

•To relieve poverty, sickness and distress amongst people from socially and economically disadvantaged communities and in particular, people in Africa.
•To develop the capability of said people in such a way that they are better able to identify and help meeting their needs to participate fully in society.
•To relieve unemployment for public benefit in such ways as may be deemed fit.
•To advance education through the provision of educational materials, supplementary education and other activities.
•To promote environmental conservation, protection and improvement through recycling, reforestation, irrigation and other environmentally friendly activities.

Estonian National Day


Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateWashington, DC

February 22, 2011


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Estonia as you celebrate the 93rd anniversary of your independence this February 24.

Estonia has made remarkable progress since the end of the Cold War. Only twenty years after breaking free from Soviet rule, Estonia has been a thriving example for the region. You have replaced foreign tyranny with democracy, adopted the Euro earlier this year and are a shining example of the power of free and fair elections. Next month you will vote on a new parliament, using the world’s first Internet based voting system.

The United States and Estonia have ties of friendship based on common values and interests. We share your commitment to freedom, democracy and human rights. As allies, we stand together in defense of these ideals through economic, humanitarian, and democratic development assistance around the world. Estonia’s progress serves as a model for those yearning for something better for themselves and the generations to come.

As you celebrate your independence, know that the United States stands with you, and we look forward to further deepening our friendship and cooperation in the years to come.









Wednesday 23 February 2011

Uganda's Elections
Press Statement
Philip J. CrowleyAssistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
February 22, 2011
The United States applauds the people of Uganda for their participation in the February 18 presidential and parliamentary elections and congratulates President Yoweri Museveni on his reelection. The elections and campaign period were generally peaceful, but we note with concern the diversion of government resources for partisan campaigning and the heavy deployment of security forces on election day. We are also disappointed by the disorganization at polling stations and the absence of many registered voters’ names from the voter rolls, irregularities that could have been avoided by appointing an independent and more representative Electoral Commission.
Nevertheless, we urge all participants to abide by the official results, refrain from violence, and channel grievances through Uganda’s independent judiciary. Democracy requires commitment at all levels of government and society to the rule of law, freedom of speech and assembly, independent media, and active civil society. We urge the Ugandan government to undertake the electoral and administrative reforms that will substantially improve future elections and will strengthen the country's commitment to multiparty democracy and human rights for the next generation of Ugandan citizens.









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Tuesday 22 February 2011


Situation in Libya


Press Statement
Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public AffairsWashington, DC

February 20, 2011


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The United States is gravely concerned with disturbing reports and images coming out of Libya. We are working to ascertain the facts, but we have received multiple credible reports that hundreds of people have been killed and injured in several days of unrest – and the full extent of the death toll is unknown due to the lack of access of international media and human rights organizations.

We have raised to a number of Libyan officials, including Libyan Foreign Minister Musa Kusa, our strong objections to the use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators. We reiterated to Libyan officials the importance of universal rights, including freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. Libyan officials have stated their commitment to protecting and safeguarding the right of peaceful protest. We call upon the Libyan government uphold that commitment, and hold accountable any security officer who does not act in accordance with that commitment.

Monday 21 February 2011



Museveni re-elected as opposition cries foul


By Barbara Among and Milton Olupot

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni, the flag-bearer of the National Resistance Movement party, was yesterday declared the winner of the February 18, 2011 presidential election.

The Electoral Commission chairman, Badru Kiggundu, declared Museveni the winner at Namboole stadium at 4:26pm before journalists and election observers.

Museveni polled 68.3% of the votes cast, while his closest rival, Col. Kizza Besigye, of the Forum for Democratic Change, got 26% of the 8,272,760 votes cast.

This means that Museveni’s support rose by 10% compared to his score in the 2006 presidential election when he secured 59.2%.Besigye scored 37.3% of the votes in 2006, which means his support has dropped by 11%.

In terms of actual votes, Museveni’s votes went up by over one million from 4.1m in 2006 to over 5.4m in 2011 polls. On the other hand, Besigye’s votes dropped from 2.6m in 2006 to slightly over 2m this year.

Museveni also received more votes during this election than what he got in 2001 when he garnered 5.1million votes. But Besigye’s votes dropped to almost the same amount he polled in the 2001, where he had 27.7% of the votes.

According to the results released by the commission yesterday, President Museveni won in all regions receiving 62.7% of the votes in central, 68.2% in eastern; 56.9% in northern and 80% in western. On the other hand, Besigye polled 31.7% in central; 28% in eastern; 26% in northern and 18% in western.

The UPC flag-bearer scored 7.2% in northern Uganda, beating Norbert Mao, who got 6.4% in the region. But Mao got 2.3% of the votes in central region, surprisingly beating Beti Kamya, who got 1.5%, as well as Bidandi Ssali, Abed Bwanika and Samuel Lubega, who each got less than one percent in their home regions. Kamya campaigned on a platform of federalism.

Besigye yesterday rejected the results, alleging fraud in the electoral process.

Out of the 13,954,129 registered voters, 8,272,760 voted, translating to 59.29% of registered voters.

The commission released results from 23,856 polling stations out of a total of 23,968. In 2006, the voter turnout stood at slightly over 69%.

Though the 2011 campaigns were largely peaceful, isolated incidences of violence were registered in the eastern districts of Mbale and the West Nile district of Arua.

Speaking to journalists after announcing the results, Kiggundu called upon the candidates who lost in the elections to concede defeat. He asked Ugandans to remain calm.

The commission said the process was free and fair and asked those with complaints to register them.

Kiggundu said the commission could have made some mistakes in the process but added that the mistakes did not affect the results.

He said it was good that Besigye had not declared his own results as he had planned to do. He reiterated that only the commission was mandated by law to ascertain and declare the results.

On display of ticked ballot papers by Besigye at a press conference on Saturday, Kiggundu said: “This is not the first time he is doing that. This time around the security agency will take him on and ask him to explain where he got them from.”

The commission denied allegations of rigging but promised to look into grievances raised by the election observers.

Present at the announcement was the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, who warned the public against riots, saying “the iron arm of the law will deal with them.”

“Wherever there are any grievances, there is a procedure in place provided by the Constitution for addressing such. If anybody does not abide by the law, the full force of the law will came down upon them,” he added.













The CEO of Ben television Dr. Alistair Soyode meeting Ibrahim Shekarau Governor of Kano State Nigeria who is also a Presidential aspirant.
Ibrahim Shekarau Governor of Kano State Nigeria.

Ibrahim Shekarau Governor of Kano State Nigeria.

Sunday 20 February 2011

The launch of Africa UK House of Lords

MP Chi Onwurah and Shadow business minister (labour) addressing guests at the Africa UK launch which is a national advocacy and engagement intiative dedicated to enahncing the contribution the Diaspora to Africa development and fostering greater dialogue between UK-based Africans working in development and national and international policy makers.

MP Chi Onwurah speaking to other guests.
Dr. Titi Banjoko- Africa recruits Director speaking at the event.
Deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman MP.

Steven O'Brian MP Secretary for DFID


Jumuiya ya Watanzania Italia,kwa niaba ya Watanzania wanaoishi Italia, inatoa rambirambi kwa familia, ndugu, jamaa na marafiki waliofariki na waliojeruhiwa katika milipuko huko Gongo la Mboto Dar Es Salaam.

Jumuiya ya Watanzania Italia imepokea taarifa hizi kwa masikitiko makubwa, ni imani yetu kuwa serikali yetu italitafutia ufumbuzi wa kudumu suala hili kwani ni mara ya pili sasa kutokea nchini.

Tunaamini kwamba maafa haya yamesababisha simanzi kubwa kwa nchi yetu, wakazi wa Gongo la Mboto na familia zilizokubwa na maafa haya. Jumuiya ya Watanzania Italia inawaombea wanafamilia wawe na moyo wa subira na ujasiri katika kipindi hiki kigumu.
Tunapenda kutoa shukrani zetu za dhati kwa serikali na viongozi wote,mashirika , watu binafsi na viongozi wa dini kwa kuchukua hatua za haraka kuwasaidia waliokubwa na maafa,moyo huo wa kujitolea tunaomba uendelee hivyo na zaidi.

MUNGU IBARIKI TANZANIA!!!
Abdul Rahaman A. Alli.
Mwenyekiti.

The launch of the International Strategic Alliance Committee (ISAC)

Israel Deputy Minister in Prime minister's office Mr. Ayoob Kara, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, Acting Nigerian High Commissioner Amb. Dozie Nwanna, OON
ISAC is group of Nigerian professionals in Diaspora with a passion to promote excellent business opportunities for economic growth, corporate responsibility and the development of a new paradigm for leadership and globally- attested success in Nigeria.

Lord Pearson of Rannoch, Ambassodor Dozie Nwanna OON, Pastor Olatunji Adebayo. ISAC will leverage on its viable and growing realtionship with western governments and its pool of world class professionals to help platform for human capacity training and development in Nigeria.
ICAC will pool their resources through innovation networks.
Israel Deputy Minister in Prime minister's office Mr. Ayoob Kara, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, City Clerk Riad Hassoun, Pastor Olatunji Adebayo.


Ayoub Mzee with Israel Deputy Minister in Prime minister's office Mr. Ayoob Kara.

Museveni sets 71 percent pace
Friday, 18th February, 2011





NRM presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni's tally stayed strong on Saturday afternoon after the fifth provisional results released by the EC indicated that he has picked the lion's share of votes so far counted.

President Museveni is still in in the 70s after the fifth round of provisional results were released at 1pm. Earlier, in the third round of results released, Museveni had 71.92% of 1,545,832 votes counted from 4720 of 23,968 polling centres. These results were released by the EC chairman Eng. Badru Kiggundu at 6.35am today. Besigye had 22.3 per cent of the vote with the rest sharing about 5 per cent.

Fifth Provisional results
Registered Voters
13,954,129

Results from:
10,324 polling stations out of 23,968

Candidate
Abed Bwanika
[PDP]
22,587
0.66%

Besigye Kizza Kifefe
[FDC]
781,353
22.92%

Beti Olive Namisango Kamya
[UFA]
20,316
0.60%

Bidandi Ssali Jaberi
[PPP]
14,747
0.43%

Mao Norbert
[DP]
50,027
1.47%

Olara Otunnu
[UPC]
70,611
2.07%

Samuel Lubega Walter Mukaaku
Independent
15,977
0.47%

Yoweri K Museveni
[NRM]
2,432,864
71.38%

Provisional Total Valid Votes Cast
3,408,482

Invalid Votes
149,486
4.20%

Spoilt Votes
10,079

Provision Total Votes Cast
3,557,659


Fourth round of provisional results
These are from 6905 polling stations of 23,968 centres. This 28% of the polling stations.

Abed Bwanika
[PDP]
15,041
0.67%

Besigye Kizza Kifefe
[FDC]
520650
23.02%

Beti Olive Namisango Kamya
[UFA]
15,103
0.67%

Bidandi Ssali Jaberi
[PPP]
10069
0.45%

Mao Norbert
[DP]
37,261
1.65%

Olara Otunnu
[UPC]
44,364
1.96%

Samuel Lubega Walter Mukaaku
Independent
9946
0.44%

Yoweri K Museveni
[NRM]
1,608,989
71.15%

Provisional Total Valid Votes Cast
2,261,423

Invalid Votes
97,279
4.12%
Spoilt Votes
6,753

Provision Total Votes Cast
2,358,702

Third round of results:


Percentage
Abed Bwanika
[PDP]

10,401
0.67%
Besigye Kizza Kifefe
[FDC]

344,730
22.29%
Beti Olive Namisango Kamya
[UFA]

9,440
0.61%
Bidandi Ssali Jaberi
[PPP]

6,671
0.43%
Mao Norbert
[DP]

21,181
1.37%
Olara Otunnu
[UPC]

34,887
2.26%
Samuel Lubega Walter Mukaaku
Independent

7,263
0.47%
Yoweri K Museveni
[NRM]

1,111,794
71.90%
Provisional Total Valid Votes Cast

1,546,367

Invalid Votes

69,992
3.90%
Spoilt Votes

4,485

Provision Total Votes Cast

1,616,359
vvvvv


***

Newly elected Member of Parliament for Mbale Municipality Jack Wamanga Wamai (FDC) has promised to attract investors to Mbale district.

In the neighboring West Budama counties, Fox Odoi is leading with a big margin while Emmanuel Otaala is trailing according to provisional results early Saturday.

“My task now is to continue with my programmes for the district,which include cleaning up the town,lobbying for more services like health and income generating activities,” said Wamai shortly after he was declared winner of the municipality Parliamentary seat by the Mbale district Returning officer,Umar Kiyimba.

Wamai polled 13096 votes ( 55.5%),followed by NRM's Dr. James Shinyabulo Mutende,who polled 6882 votes (29.20%).Others are Mayumba Justine Busiima who got 107, (0.45%),Simba Elisha 103 (0.44%),Richard Masaba Wamalia 3241 (13.75%.)

Report by Prossy Nandudu in Mbale.

****

Initial reports from Otuke county indicate that minister Omara Atubo is trailing according to provisional results.

MPs
Daniel Omara Atubo(NRM) 38.74%
Dr. Ogwal Jacinto (UPC) 61.06%

***

Foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa has been declared winner in Mawogola county.

***
Controversial Budadiri West MP Nandali Mafabi Nathan is well ahead in preliminary results.

** (Details on www.elections2011.co.ug).


.+

Saturday 19 February 2011

A Journey to Africa

By Lou Perretta MD

I am an emergency physician from here in Lake Oswego who has discovered a wonderful way to give back to the developing world. I became involved with an organization called Project Helping Hands (www.project-helping-hands.org) in 2007. Project Helping Hands is a Medical Humanitarian Organization specializing in short term missions to underdeveloped counties around the world. Since then I had been down to Bolivia four times giving medical clinics in the Lowland Jungle and in the Altiplano. We are an organization made up of volunteers, mostly doctors and nurses, who give of their time and finance their own trip including airfare, lodging, food and all in country expenses. In addition, these same volunteers that travel also collect medical supplies to bring to the areas we serve.

In January, I traveled to Kampala Uganda to participate in a 2-week clinic in Kawempe at the edge of the slum. This was my first time travelling to Africa and I found our host and the people we served to be very welcoming us. I felt that they greatly appreciated the work we were doing for the people of Uganda. Our team for this mission consisted of 2 physicians (myself included) from the Portland area and a third physician, a retired Emergency physician who now lives in Tanzania. We had with us 13 highly skilled emergency and critical care nurses, 3 student nurses, 1 medical student in her last year of study from the Netherlands, 2 support personnel, and a dentist from Kenya. Our host was the pastor of the Miracle Center church in Kawempe, Robert Nabulere. He and his wife Rose opened the church for 7 full days of clinics. The members of his congregation helped manage the clinic and provided support in the form of translators for us (the native language is Ugandan). Our team saw over 3300 people in those seven days and I will give you some idea of the cases we saw and the impact we made.

We started from Portland OR, San Jose, CA, San Diego CA, Phoenix AZ, Hugo MN, St. Louis MO, Charlotte NC and Toronto, Ontario. It took 40 hours to get to Entebbe, but it was a welcome site to fly in over Lake Victoria signifying the conclusion of the long journey. We were met by our hosts and given a tour of Kawempe. This area is just north of the city of Kampala, which is the largest city and the capitol of Uganda. Surrounding the main road were thousands of small clustered structures with narrow lanes between them and corrugated metal roofs. This comprised the “slum” where we would be holding the clinic and seeing most of the patients from. Seeing this area from the air or even from the side of the road, was nothing like walking into the ‘slum” and meeting the people there.

Children flock to your side when you walk up the narrow lanes lined with garbage. You are greeted by an acrid smell of garbage and sewage. The children come to us and are smiling and happy to meet us. Many of the houses contain only one small room where an entire family eats, sleeps and lives in. The government subsidizes their housing, however they need to pay for their food and water. There were markets in the “slum” selling everything from food to hardware to electronics. After my first walk through the area, meeting the people, smelling the smells and seeing how they live, I began to look at the area in a different light. After my fourth walk through this area, I began to view it as a neighborhood. The people living here were not concerned over what they did not have but appreciated what they do have. This neighborhood is where both our patients and the Ugandan volunteers helping us run the clinic and translate reside.

Our first day had us up early to start the clinic at 7:30 AM. Upon arriving at the clinic/church, the first thing we observed was a throng of people and a line stretching all the way up the hill from the clinic as far a I could see. We had decided to try to see 500 people a day but there were more than 500 on that line. Our volunteers from Kawempe did a wonderful job controlling the crowd and giving out numbers from 1-500. The first person there arrived at 2 AM to get into the clinic. The clinic seemed overrun with people trying to get care and we were able to see 530 people that first day. We developed a great relationship with our Ugandan volunteers that day and were impressed with their ability to support us in that busy clinic and their willingness to learn about what we were doing.

Each day of clinic afterward was just as busy with us seeing many people each day. On that second day of clinic, one patient had a number of large tumors covering his face and impairing the breathing through the nose. There are many cases of HIV or AIDS in Uganda and we learned that the adults do not receive treatment for their disease because of lack of the ability to pay for the treatment. We suspected that the tumors were related to advanced HIV disease and paid for him to see a doctor to have the tumors biopsied and start his HIV treatment after confirming the cause of the tumors. Another older man who could not read traveled over 100 kilometers (62 miles) to reach the clinic. We had some reading and distance glasses available for the first 5 days of clinic. When he put on the reading glasses, a big smile came across his face and he said that this is the first time that he has been able to read in years.

On our third day of clinic we had two critical cases come in. The first was a 9-month-old child that was having difficulty breathing. She needed inhaled medicine to open her airway allowing her to breathe. At the same time, we had a 27-year-old woman who had given birth about 10 days earlier. When we examined her, she appeared to have a serious infection of the uterus, which caused her temperature to rise and her blood pressure to drop. We sprung into action and gathered both these patients and our staff accompanied them to the hospital.

Mulago Hospital was the public governmental hospital for the general population of Kampala and all of Uganda. Members of our team stayed with these patients at the hospital to pay for the doctor to see them and the medications they needed. The woman needed IV fluids to treat her low blood pressure and antibiotics to treat her infection. She was admitted to the hospital. The child needed breathing treatments and medication and got better after that treatment. Our team was with them at the hospital to see that they received care and that it was paid for.

In addition to providing treatment we would provide education, helping the people understand the disease and the causes for it. An example would be the numerous patients coming to the clinic with various forms of sexually transmitted diseases (Syphilis, AIDS, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Herpes). We would provide treatment for them if needed but always educate them and offer ways to help them prevent disease. The people of Uganda also educated us westerners about their customs and traditions.

The most rewarding part of this experience was our opportunity to interact with the kind people of Kawempe, Uganda. For anyone interested in short term missions such as this one, I would encourage you to look at he website and consider volunteering your time or resources.

The website is www.project-helping-hands.org.