The Ngogwe community programme
The Ngogwe community development programme is in the Mukono
district, central Uganda, and borders Lake Victoria. The programme
reaches 73 villages with a total population of 30,000. World
Vision's partnership with Ngogwe began in September 2006 and is
envisaged to continue until 2023, when the community will be fully
equipped with the resources and skills to take ownership of its own
development. In the past year, significant improvements were made
in the areas of education, and health and HIV and AIDS.
Issues covered: Education, health and
HIV and AIDS
Updates on World Vision's work
Education
- The education of parents/guardians, teachers and school
management committees on the importance of education, resulted in a
45 per cent increase in primary school enrolment over the past year
- from 5200 students in 2008 to 6428 in 2011.
- 7 ventilated pit latrines were constructed at primary schools.
As a result, school dropout rates decreased, children's health
improved and the enrolment of girls increased because of the better
sanitation and hygiene.
Health, HIV and AIDS
- 3089 children in the community received health checkups and
those in need of medical care were referred for treatment.
- 14,787 children were reached by HIV and AIDS prevention, care
and support programmes, and 6000 orphans and vulnerable children
were supported by community care coalitions and home visitors to
access education, better nutrition and healthcare.
The Ngogwe community is in the seventh year of its development
journey with World Vision.
Life on
the ground in Ngogwe
New hope for children living with a
disability
Eleven-year-old Charles has been able to
return to school after being treated for hydrocephalus, and is
receiving ongoing rehabilitation.
Through advocacy initiatives and practical support, World Vision
and community leaders are working hard to ensure the well-being of
all children, including those living with a disability. Thanks to
these programmes, the primary school enrolment of children living
with a disability increased from 143 in 2010 to 366 in 2011. One of
these children is 11-year-old Charles, who was diagnosed with
hydrocephalus. He became completely dependent on Jane, his mother,
for his care. To protect him from the outside world, she kept him
at home. Charles' mother then attended an awareness-raising session
on the support available to children living with a disability,
conducted by World Vision and community leaders. With their help,
Charles was referred to hospital for surgery. He can now walk again
and is attending school. "I can now fetch water, run and play
football, which I could not do before," says Charles. Jane says:
"Despite it being the third term, Charles has opted to report back
to school as soon as possible as he wanted to show his friends that
he was fine." Together with 92 other children living with a
disability who have received treatment, he is receiving ongoing
rehabilitation. Charles' mother and father are now members of a
parents' self-help group that advocates for children living with a
disability in their community.
Uganda at a glance
Winston Churchill referred to Uganda as the pearl of Africa.
Situated in the Great Lakes region of Africa, the country has
beautiful mountains, fertile soils, regular rainfall and sizeable
mineral deposits. It also has significant levels of poverty - 38
per cent of the people live below the poverty line.
I can now fetch water, run and play football, which I
could not do before.
- Eleven-year-old Charles, a Buyamba primary
school pupil