September 2012

Pictured: Progress of the Mdabulo Hospital Project! CHILDREN’S VILLAGE An exciting achievement developed this month as we officially opened up the final Orphans’ house! The most important housing component of the Children’s Village is now complete, and we can now address the various needs from the community in creative ways as we have 6 completed houses. The final house gives us options to take-in children if need be, or else maybe use the extra rooms as guest accommodation for visiting relatives, or guest speakers at either the children’s village, or community hall in Igoda. The rooms may also be used for Mothers or parents who are staying with their children at the Children’s Village for a short time, while the child regains his or her health, and the guardian learns about proper child-care for the child. The Children’s Village is evolving rapidly as the need from the community is changing. More people are getting back on their feet and being able to care for their own children in the community. The Children’s Village is slowly becoming more of child wellness center, or a general community resource center, while still housing and caring for over 65 children of its own. It is still being used predominantly for its original purpose of sheltering those children with no where else to go, but as the tide changes for the better in the surrounding area with the fight against HIV, the Children’s Village is beginning to change along with it. COMMUNITY OUTREACH Home Based Care The NGO fully welcomed its second long-term Peace Corps Volunteer this month as Stacey Droll began her work as a third-year extended Peace Corps Health Volunteer under Foxes’ NGO. Stacey will be working with Dr. Leena, and other health volunteers, showing them patients to visit in the community, and coordinating the health branch of the NGO. She will do so while also coordinating the entire Home Based Care program. This year’s goal is to start a second Home Based Care team for the ward of Ihanu that surrounds the Ibwanzi Health facility that Foxes’ NGO has constructed in the past. Stacey has been busy partnering with the District AIDS Cooridinator, and HBC Coordinator, Dr. Mpiluka, and has been interviewing potential volunteers from Ihanu ward. Training of these volunteers will start on December 3rd. HEALTH CARE Mdabulo Hospital Lots of developments at Mdabulo Hospital this month, as we get closer and closer to the opening of this ‘functioning-wing’ of the facility. The rooms of the constructed area of the Hospital were painted this month, and a ceiling was installed. The facility is also now wired for electricity throughout. We were excited to have special guests Marion and Rod Gough with us from the UK sister charity Orphans in the Wild this month. It was fantastic to be able to show the Goughs the progress at Mdabulo, as all of their hard work packing and sending containers from the UK will come to fruition here as the area gets its first Hospital. Marion spent quite some time organizing bandages, medical supplies, and other resources brought over from the NGO storage to Mdabulo, and her work has added to the efficiency of the facility. EDUCATION Adult English The Adult English program is back in action this month. Classes have begun again at the Igoda Children’s Village, and an added breath of enthusiasm came into the program this month as Yusto Chumi has started to teach English at the Igoda Community Hall. This means the Hall is being used daily, and the community is becoming more and more comfortable with using the Hall on a regular basis. Igoda Community Hall This month’s Bibi and Babu chai were a great success yet again, and an added event this month included the 2nd annual career fair for students in Standard 7. The students came to the Community Hall and learned first hand about the opportunities that were in their community as they plan their lives going through school. Two guardians from the Children’s Village were present, and there were stations for farmers, shop owners, workers from tea companies, and elsewhere. It was an exciting day, even if it had a late start, and it further pushed the reputation of the Igoda Community Hall for being a great educational resource for the community.