Tuesday, March 18, 2014

UVP Rides

Being a Volunteer Health Team (VHT) member is an important job in the communities where UVP works. These members are members of the community and are trained to assist their fellow community members with basic health problems, helping them get to the facilities they need. They also help collect data and mobilizing organize activities for UVP and the district.

An organization called FABIO, with support from Cope Africa, has begun work in Iganga and is offering additional support for VHTs. FABIO is an environmental organization that promotes riding bicycles as opposed to other fuel-consuming modes of transportation. They have worked in Kampala, Kamuli, Jinja and are expanding their work to Iganga. The major objectives for this project are to support the VHTs in their community activities by providing subsidized bicycles and offering training to VHTs on health and environmental issues. They began their work in 2 sub-counties in Iganga- Nambale and Nawandala. UVP was happy to find out that some of our VHTs would have the opportunity to purchase a subsidized bicycle.



Titus, UVP staff member, attended the bicycle distribution event. Excitement was in the air in Nawandala sub county headquarters when the 164 bicycles were given to the VHTs.

Titus sat down with two of our VHTs who bought bicycles:


“By getting this bicycle from FABIO, my work has been simplified because am now able to reach many more households in my community than before. It will also save my time when am doing VHT work especially mobilization for family planning and HIV out reaches as well as home visits to our patients that have been referred and are on treatment. I thank Fabio and their donors for this support” .
- Nandase Zabina


“As the VHT chair person in Nambale Sub County, we are grateful and happy to get these bicycles. Our work is going to be done on time because we have our own transport. I think now our quarterly meeting and health center visits are going to increase. The bicycles have increased our motivation levels to work and we appreciate FABIO for giving us the bicycles.”
- Sagaire Malijani.



Titus engaged with the Fabio staff, thanked them for their work and encouraged them to continue their work in the other subcounties in Iganga. We hope to see even more of our VHTs have this opportunity to reach out to the members of their communities and continue their good work. 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Meet Patrick

We are highlighting our hardworking and talented staff in our newsletter over the next few months. If you don't get the UVP newsletter, please email info@ugandavillageproject.org or click here to sign up. In case you missed the latest issue, here's our first article featuring Tulibagenyi Patrick--UVP's Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program Manager.

Patrick is married and a proud father to one boy named Conrad. He also leads a children's marching band. Intrigued? Read on.

Patrick in the UVP office
Patrick worked as a classroom teacher before moving to media where he was a manager of a local radio station. Patrick entered the NGO world in 2005, working directly with communities implementing health related activities. He's well-prepared for all these roles with a diploma in project planning and management and a degree in mass communication. In 2007, he started working with UVP on a part-time basis and was hired full-time in 2008 as the Shallow Well Project Coordinator. Besides the shallow well project, he helps support the internship program and other administrative tasks. Patrick also writes stories for the monthly newsletter.

Patrick likes his job because it has exposed him to many people of different walks of life both locally and internationally, giving him a global understanding of humanity and how best to help disadvantaged communities. During Patrick’s stay with UVP, he has seen it steadily grow: from one in-country staff person to six staff members, from a 15 square foot office room to a small office duplex, and above all, year by year helping more than 50 communities access safe water sources.

Besides working with UVP, Patrick manages a music project for children, plays the guitar and piano, and enjoys swimming. His dream career is movie making.