We Care Uganda

I’m requesting contributions for the Mbarara University Hospital in Uganda, Africa.  In March of 2019 I will be going on my 4th medical mission with MedLend to help improve the conditions of the hospital.  MedLend performs fistula surgeries for women who couldn’t deliver their baby properly and who need pelvic surgery.  In 2015, 2017 and 2018 I went with Medlend to Uganda and because of the generosity of my family and friends I was able to purchase 400 mattresses as well as paint and repair the wards and purchase much needed medical supplies. 

I also purchased soccer balls for the local school children as well as solar lanterns so that they can study at night as most people in Uganda live on less than $2 per day and do not have electricity. 

On the upcoming mission I have three primary projects: 

1. Pour a 100 foot concrete walkway so that post-surgery the patients don't have to get jolted around by being wheeled over the wash-board dirt pathway which connects the hospital to the wards. 

2.  Repair the deteriorating bathrooms and plumbing. 

3.  Help furnish a UCLA project to build a gynecology ward called "Kupona" or Hope.  

If you are able to help then 100% of the contributions I receive will go toward improving the lives of the Ugandan people.  The following is a list of items that are needed:     Needs: (goal amount = $88,000).


 

Mattresses: $40 each x 100 ($4,000).  This is the #1 item that the hospital said it needs.  Their are still some  mattresses that are decades old and deteriorating that need to be replaced.   Late-onset neonatal sepsis is the #1 cause of fetal mortality in Uganda.  Any measures that can reduce bacteria will improve the odds of survival. Patients are required to bring their own bedding & certain medicines as the hospital has such limited funds.



A concrete walkway for the post-surgery patients to be transported on versus the washboard dirt pathway ($5,000).

 



Restroom and plumbing repairs ($10,000).


Furnishing the new gynecological ward called "Kupona" or Hope:  ($10,000).  Many young pregnant women had to sleep on the floor as there weren’t enough beds.  In 2018 the new ward was built, but there is still need for funds to furnish the new ward.  UCLA residents are also fundraising for this project.


Electric surgical saw:  ($3,000).  In 2015 I was asked whether I would buy a saw at the local hardware store as their surgical saw was so dull that they couldn’t use it appropriately for amputations.

Medical Supplies:  ($10,000).  The hospital runs low on or doesn’t have some basic medical supplies like sutures, gloves, autoclave, fetal doppler, patient monitors, thermometers, infant warmers, wheel chair, desks, delivery beds…

HIV Testing:  $1 per test ($1,000).  After the young women have fistula surgery it would be a good time to offer them an HIV test.  This is a very inexpensive test, but could have a large impact on the young woman and her partner.  You can contribute for as many tests as you like.

Advanced Fistula Surgery Training 2 x $10,000 ($20,000).  Advanced fistula surgery training can be acquired by sending residents to Ethiopia for six weeks to learn that advanced surgical skill.  Fistula surgery can completely change the lives of these young women.  Without the surgery, many of the young women are abandoned by their families because they continuously leak urine after prolonged (and often failed) child birth.

Paint:  $25 per gallon ($500).  There are several areas of the hospital that are a drab gray color.  I would like to brighten up the place a bit. 







Florescent ceiling light bulbs:  $10 each ($1,000).  The maternity ward only had 1 working light bulb.  This meant that if a woman needed to go to the bathroom at night then she had to try and step over the pregnant women sleeping on the floor in the dark.  Each ward needs about 20 florescent light bulbs along with replacement bulbs. 

Windows:  $10 each ($500).   There are dozens of broken windows in the three wards.  This will help keep the rain and wind out.



Washing machine and dryer: $1,500 each ($3,000).  They have a commercial washing machine; however, it doesn’t work so either I need to find a repair person to fix it or to buy them a new one.  There is a small appliance store in town.  Currently, the surgical scrubs are hand washed in bathtubs and wrung out by hand and then hung up in trees or laid in the grass to dry -obviously, not very sterile.




Hospital playground equipment:  $2,000.   Many children and families are required to sleep outdoors while their family member is hospitalized.  The children don’t have anything to do while they wait; therefore, I would like to supply playground equipment like tether balls, basketball hoops, soccer nets…

Leather soccer balls:  $25 each x 100 ($2,500).   I purchase them in Mbarara and deliver them to the local schools.  Many children in Uganda currently play soccer with materials like wadded up tin foil.




Solar Lanterns: $9.50 each x 200 ($2,000).  These solar lanterns allows the kids to study at home at night.  They last ~ 1 ½ years.  Even the physicians and nurses often live without electricity.  The average person in Uganda lives on $2 - $3 per day. 



Orphanage:  ($5,000).  There is an orphanage about 6 blocks from the hospital.  There were only about 5 women on staff  when I visited.  Many of these children aren't getting the attention that they need.  This money would create several jobs for the local women and it would help them in providing better care to the children.

Along with your GoFundMe contribution, please note what you would like me to apply your contribution toward or state that you want it applied toward the general fund.  Thank you for any financial donation you can provide!  Unfortunately, your contribution isn’t tax deductible via GoFundMe as I am not a non-profit.  I’m simply a person trying to make life a little better for the people of Uganda. 

 

If you are making a contribution of $100 or more and would like to make a tax deductible contribution then you can go to the MedLend website www.medlend.com and click on the DONATE NOW button.  When you donate to MedLend, please put in the "Designation" field WE CARE UGANDA.  That way, the money is earmarked toward this theses projects.   

You can also mail me a check, but make the check out to MedLend if you want to make a tax deductible contribution.  My address is the following:  Mike Nohr 1822 Great Highway, San Francisco CA 94122. 

The people of Uganda sincerely appreciate your help!