HIV is still endemic in Uganda. In Buvuma district, the HIV prevalence rate is 15.3%, with HIV rates as high as 22% in some far areas deep in Lake Victoria! However, due to a lack of awareness and education concerning the spread and existence of the virus throughout the entire 52 islands which make-up Buvuma district, many people in Buvuma are still unaware of their HIV status. This is attributed to limited service delivery by both government and non-governmental organizations working for the same! ADUA offers HIV testing and counseling as well as awareness campaigns through outreach visits to both near and far islands depending on the availability of resources. Additionally, we support a variety of other activities to prevent the spread of HIV and to help those who have tested positive to live meaningful and fulfilling lives. .
Livehood Skills Development
This programme has allowed ADUA to expose idle adults, orphans, and other vulnerable children to various vocational and entrepreneurial training opportunities. Crafts-making, tailoring, and animal breeding constitute some of the thematic areas emphasized. This training is meant to enhance coping mechanisms for these disadvantaged groups, promoting security of income and self-reliance. The goal is to narrow the disparities between low income groups and the more affluent members of rural communities. ADUA distributed 1,500 chickens to Bugaya sub county farmers along with 20,000 pineapple suckers, 3,500 banana seedlings, and 150 exotic piglets to Koome sub county. Contracted by the NAADS programme, this initiative was conducted from 6th-9th June, 2010, costing 28,500,000 UGS ($12,391).
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Sexual health is a central determinant of a person’s quality of life. A solid understanding of sexual health is paramount to helping people make informed, responsible and healthy decisions. ADUA works to promote knowledge of sexual health and reproductive health services to vulnerable and marginalized groups, in order to help prevent unintended pregnancies and the spread of HIV and other STIs as well as empower people to make informed decisions about family planning, unsafe abortion and its related circumstances.
Malaria Control Prevention Programs
ADUA recently conducted a malaria control and prevention community outreach in Busamuzi and Nairambi sub-counties targeting expectant mothers and school-aged children. During this course we managed to sensitize 4,500 adults and 850 students of Buvuma Secondary School, as well as Bulondo and Namunyolo primary schools.
Gender Based Violence Prevention
One of the leading causes of female injury in almost every country in the world is gender based violence. In Uganda, an unequal balance of power between men and women leaves many women powerless to protect themselves against physical violence, emotional abuse which leads to sexually transmitted diseases hence claiming lives! The threat of physical violence makes it difficult for women to negotiate condom use which can lead to exposure of HIV and unintended pregnancies. Many traditional marriages in Uganda involve a bride price, paid by the husband to the bride’s family. Unfortunately this custom can imply that women are owned as property and thus punished for disobedience or non-submissiveness. ADUA takes it a concern to educate men/ women and the entire community about the dangers of gender based violence and work towards eliminating violence against women in Buvuma and Uganda at large.
Water, Sanitation And Hygiene
Clean water, proper sanitation and effective hygiene practices are essential to good health. But in Buvuma district it’s a reverse! Clean water coverage in this area is around 5%! Hence leading the entire community to experiencing water borne diseases to claiming lives! The inability to access clean water and basic sanitation kills more people every year than all types of violence. More than 2 million people, most of them children under 5 years old, die every year from diarrhea caused by drinking untreated water. We have partnered with HELP International volunteers to distribute Sawyer water filters to communities mostly around landing sites!
RUMPS training and distribution
Also through this program, we have been able to train about 70 women and girls on how to make/use these pads and finally did distribute 350 kits of RUMPS
(Reusable Menstrual Sanitary Pads) to women and girls in both primary and secondary schools to unable them not miss classes during this period It has been proven that, 61% of girls drop-out of schools during their menstrual circles/periods report by ministry of health conducted by UNICEF. So we do think that this initiative if adopted would very much yield much fruits.
