Support Benja through Nursing School

Thanks for clicking this link and visiting this page! My name is Julie and I'm fundraising for my good friend Benja to complete his education in nursing in Uganda.

In Uganda, the scarcity of healthcare workers during a medical workers' strike in 2017 shed light on the pain and struggles faced by communities in need. Witnessing this dire situation firsthand inspired Tatumwa Desmond Benjamin to embark on a transformative journey to become a nurse and make a lasting difference in his community.

The medical workers' strike in Uganda served as a turning point in Benjamin’s life. Volunteering at +256 youth platform and Safe Mothers Safe Babies (SAFE) on a project aimed at transporting mothers in labor to private health centers exposed him to the harsh realities of inadequate healthcare access. Driven by compassion and a desire to make a difference, Tatumwa was inspired to become a nurse and contribute to his community's well-being.'

He completed his Certificate in Nursing in Uganda and began to serve his community at a community rural based hospital in Nawandala subcounty, Iganga district. Now, to improve his skills and continue to serve his community better, he is looking forward to upgrading his nursing skills by pursuing a diploma in nursing. With the Ugandan policies on degree approval shifting soon, the Certificate in Nursing will be phased out and this new Diploma in Nursing will keep him aligned with his passion.

I worked with Benja in Uganda February of 2020 just before covid hit, and witnessing the passion and joy he has for this work was truly unmatched. The time I spent shadowing him as he introduced me to the busy District Hospital and jumped in to deliver babies in the midst of a power outtage despite it not being his workplace, the moments I spent learning from his grassroots organizing work at +256 Youth Platform as he brainstormed how to support his community, the touching fieldwork visits that rounded out my experience as a Watson Fellow interviewing new mothers as he translated their powerful stories of birth -- it all was exemplary of how much he wants to contribute to the world, how deeply he cares. As I've witnessed him throughout the arch of the pandemic and beyond, he continues to dedicate energy to initiatives that center community care, pursuing his dreams by constantly learning more and teaching those around him. Let's help him get there!!

Each semester of nursing school will cost him approximately 3,500,000 Ugandan shillings, which is about $897 USD. In total, the 3-semester course will amount to around 10,500,000 Ugandan shillings, approximately $2,692 USD. H will use his personal savings to meet the personal and school requirements. If you have any ability to contribute to his education and support him in making his dream come true, that would be deeply deeply appreciated.