A crowded and hectic health center can be a scary place for a little kid. There are sounds of sickness all around. Upset moms bring in their under-nourished babies. People are injured and in need of emergency medical help. Parents often bring their kids with them to the health center because they have no one else to watch over them. But if you’re a kid stuck in the middle of everything – and there’s no place meant just for you – it can be a horrifying experience. So we thought to ourselves – can’t we do something for these kids? Can’t we make a space for them that’s a little nicer, that feels a little safer? For day 98 we gathered together a few toys, some kid-sized chairs, and a rug – and made a space just for the little ones. Now, when kids come to the health center, they will have an area intended just for them. Where they can separate themselves for a moment from the urgency of the clinic, the often daunting place it can be. This corner will be a light in … [Read more...] about A Place Just for Them

While we were at the health center repairing the ceiling and preventing bats from coming in, we realized there was another opportunity to help. We saw someone who needed assistance getting inside and around the health center itself. We saw pregnant moms needing to get up to get a drink of water. We saw people with injuries who needed to visit the latrines. Although these patients are being taken care of by our team, they also needed something else – a better way to get around. So for Day 98 we thought to ourselves – why not jump in, why not do something? The solution was easy. We purchased canes, crutches, and a stretcher to be kept at the health center. So when patients need to get around and go from building to building, they can lean on these tools for help. “I’m very happy to have this stretcher,” said Florence, the in-charge nurse at the health center. “Before, our team would have to carry people on their own – people who were very ill. It’s not ideal. It will … [Read more...] about A Friend to Lean On

Imagine arriving at the hospital after falling ill. You’re exhausted, sick, and already uncomfortable. But imagine that instead of finding respite in a hospital bed, you discover that you were supposed to bring your own comforts – things like bedsheets, pillows, and blankets. How would you feel? Patients in Bidi Bidi face that reality every day. Clinics there ask patients to bring their own sheets and pillows, not having enough in stock. But when you’re in a room with no air conditioning, laying on a rubber mattress, seeking treatment for often grave conditions, a pillow and bedsheet can make a world of difference. It can put you in a better mindset – it can help you heal. So on Day 97, we’ve decided to change the standard of care – and introduce a solution to the problem. Even though bringing your own comforts is standard in Bidi Bidi, we decided not to accept that standard. We purchased pillows, blankets, and bedsheets for the health center. These simple things … [Read more...] about Small Comforts

Yesterday, we took the first step in tackling the bat problem at Ariwa health center in Bidi Bidi – sealing up the roof to help keep them out. But, we also needed a solution to keep the bats away more permanently – and one that convinced these critters that our clinic is not their best option for a home. Did you know that in a single night, one bat can eat 20,000 mosquitos? Malaria is such a huge challenge for the patients coming to the clinic. We realized that instead of getting rid of our bat residents completely, they could be our partners in fighting the disease. One solution is to build a bat box – a home for bats outside of the clinic - where they can rest during the day but still leave to eat their meal of mosquitos at night. So for Day 94, we’re testing it out. Working with a local carpenter – our friend Lomoro - we built the bat box and raised it on a pole about 80 meters away from the clinic. “This will be like a test,” said Paul, ARC team member in Ariwa. … [Read more...] about Unexpected Friends

In our Ariwa health center in Bidi Bidi, staff have a problem – bats. They live in the ceilings. And, they’re not very cleanly roommates. “Since there are so many bats,” said Florence, who works at the health center, “they create a problem for the ceiling, and it collapses. One time, it almost collapsed on a mother giving birth. It does a lot of harm to us.” On Day 17, we helped repair the ceiling at the health center. But it was clear that a longer term fix was necessary. So for the next two days we're confronting this challenge, two doable steps at a time. And first, we’re sealing up the ceiling. Lomoro – our trusty repairman from Day 17 – bravely volunteered to clear the existing bats out of the roof. Then, we installed mesh on the inside and outside of the clinic, covering up any holes the bats could sneak through. With everything sealed up, bats won’t be able to get back in. During this process, we also realized something else. While bats are dangerous … [Read more...] about Keeping Critters Out

At Ariwa Health Center in Bidi Bidi, the reception area is the first place that patients come to seek help. That’s where we do patient intake, where records are kept, and where Florence – nurse in-charge at Ariwa – greets her customers. But in the past few months, the number of patients coming to Ariwa has skyrocketed. So there were certain things that needed some work. The floor needed sweeping, trash was collecting, the room was dark with ragged curtains, and the desk itself was a mess. So on Day 94 we thought – we can do better. In-charge nurse Florence has handled the rapid increase from three patients a week to over 40 – and she’s managing it all with a limited budget and same size staff. She spends the most time at the reception area. So we purchased new pencils, pens, a clock, beautiful plants, and more tools to organize her files and papers. We gave the whole area a good scrubbing and bought brand new, nice curtains. Someone who works as hard as … [Read more...] about A Lovely Space

One thing we know is true - just because we can’t do everything, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything. In fact, doing something opens up a door – you can return to a problem and do one doable thing at a time until the job is finished. And because we’re committed to making change at Bidi Bidi, for Day 93 we wanted to go back and finish something we started on Day 19 – finishing the painting at Ariwa health clinic. And this time, we’re focusing our attention on not just the maternity ward, but the entire complex. With buckets of paint and brushes in hand, we set out to paint the triage office, patient intake rooms, waiting areas, and recovery rooms. Instead of dark, grimy walls, now patients will be surrounded by a fresh coat of paint, clean walls, and brightened rooms. “Just a couple of days ago this place looked like a deserted area where no one should be treated,” said Joseph, an ARC team member who helped repaint the rooms. “But a simple touch can make all the … [Read more...] about The Second Coat

We first met our volunteer Suzan on Day 25, when we brought her on board to be the caretaker of Ariwa Health Center. And in the weeks that followed, she’s proved to be indispensable to the team there. She works with every department, helping to care for the whole patient. Every morning, Suzan wakes up early to walk an hour by foot to the health center. And she spends long days there, returning home in the evenings. So for Day 92 the team thought – what can we do to make Suzan’s life just a little easier? And we came up with an answer – a bicycle. The kind of sturdy bicycle that can tough it out on the unpaved roads of Bidi Bidi doesn’t actually cost very much – we found one in Kampala for $120. But having it is invaluable. Suzan can get to the health center in a few short minutes. She can more easily get water, or go to the market. A bike can change everything. “I think I’ll be doing this job a long time.” said Suzan. “Having this bicycle feels good.” Suzan has … [Read more...] about A Bicycle for Suzan

Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t speak the same language as you? If you have, you know that it can be a big challenge. In Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, many of the South Sudanese refugees who have sought safety there don’t speak English – they speak Arabic, among many other languages. And yet, our Ugandan staff and volunteers mainly speak English. This is clearly a time when translators are needed – and a lot of them. We have volunteer translators who are crucial to helping us do our work. But we really want and need them to stick around. So for Day 91, we’re taking the next step - creating paid positions for these incredibly hardworking people. And, we're honoring them with some gifts – like notebooks and pens - to help them do their work. “When I don’t have a translator, I face problems when there are many languages. I don’t know many of them,” said Jamal from the ARC team. “So if they come and I can’t communicate, we face some … [Read more...] about In Their Own Words

Imagine for a moment that you’ve just moved to a brand new town. You don’t know your neighbors, or even the location of the closest grocery store. What would your first step be? Look it up online? How about the yellow pages? In Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, there’s no internet, yellow pages, or even a town crier – if you want to get to a food distribution, you simply have to be lucky enough hear about it from someone else. That’s the only way to get the news. We run community centers at Bidi Bidi, which are meant to act as a hub for everyone who lives nearby. So we thought, what if we could make those community centers a place not only for people to gather, but to come for much-needed information? So for Day 90, we’re doing just that. We put up information noticeboards, filled with useful information like the times for town meetings, food distributions, vaccination days at the local clinic, emergency phone numbers, and notices for opportunities like volunteer or paid … [Read more...] about Sharing Knowledge