BREAKING DOWN ISOLATION AND CREATING SOLIDARITY

By Senfuka Samuel

Project Officer, WRA Uganda

A section of participants during the sharing meeting at Buziga Country Resort

One of the powerful aspects which keep alliances vibrant, growing and strong is networking, sharing, and learning from one another hence breaking down isolation and creating principled solidarity. In January 2011, WRA Uganda had a unique opportunity of hosting two different organizations in the pursuit of working closely together to exchange information and experiences, share problems and challenges and co-operates to find workable solutions and engage in common actions for safe motherhood.

On 23^rd January 2011 WRA Kenya visited WRA Uganda for an opportunity to share experiences and learn from WRA Uganda engagement of the youth in contributing towards improving maternal and neonatal health. The WRA Kenya team was led by Ms Angela Nguku, Founder and National Coordinator in company of two youthful maternal health champions from Nairobi. Mr. Kazungu Matano and Mr. Phelix Odiwuor. The youth champions are both celebrities/popular figures in Kenya in the area of comedy, Radio and TV presentation.

The visit gave a platform for the Ugandan youth to share their experiences about activities and strategies they have been involved in to promote safe motherhood. These majorly included Convoy to Kampala, East African Caravan and the Pre- African Union Youth Summit, Young Maternal Health Advocates competition. The youth shared their experiences, successes, challenges and lessons learnt from these activities and strategies employed such as the media, music, dance and drama, poetry, mock debate, video and film shows among others.

The youth testified that their involvement has not only contributed to improving maternal health but also impacted on their lives individually in terms of building their confidence to communicate and advocate, learnt new life skills like dance and drama. “My first experience with WRA Uganda was to visit Kabale district because I had never gone to the place before. But when I reached Kabale things changed and felt touched by what I found women going through and this changed my mind,” shared Gertrude Kayaga, a youth member. Gertrude further added that she was very poor at dance and drama, but greatly improved by learning from her colleagues. “I have learnt how to advocate and present myself. My involvement as a youth has enabled me to meet people I wouldn’t have ever met in life,” she excitedly shared.

On the other hand, Mr. Felix shared that he pondered when he was chosen to be a maternal health champion. “I did not realize its importance at first but later found that bringing men on board is strategic and has a great trickledown effect,” Said Felix. He promised to use the lessons learnt from Uganda youth convoy to organize a bigger one in Kenya.

Mr. Kazungu Matano added that they are planning to use their popularity to disseminate maternal health information through bill boards.

Angela noted that we need to make maternal health an East African agenda because the situation is worse across the region. WRA Kenya will invite WRA Uganda youth to share their experience in Kenya during their planned youth convoy because our mission is to unify different people for maternal health cause.

The biggest lesson learnt was in order to effectively engage the youth, it is important to reach them where they are. Taking activities to where they love such as beaches, schools and make events that appeal to them like music concerts, games, drama. This motivates them to keep them going and have fun.

Mr. Senfuka Samuel, Project Officer WRA Uganda in the closing remarks underscored harnessing the power of partnership as WRA family and reinforce one another. “We should continue to mobilize the power of partnership because the strength of the individual alliance may vary but our collective strengths is considerable,” Senfuka remarked.

In the same spirit WRA Uganda held a sharing meeting with KiBO Foundation. The meeting was held on 01^st February 2011 at WRA Uganda offices with the aim of exploring ways of working together in promoting safe motherhood. KiBO Foundation is a social enterprise organization focusing on empowering the youth with various life skills and community service programmes. WRA Uganda together with the youth and KiBO Foundation proposed joint near future action plans to be considered and plan around them.

      Exchange visit to KiBO Foundation

      Charity sport games

      Blood donations for mothers

      Music dance and drama for maternal health

      General cleaning of identified health facilities

Members pose for a group photo

WRA Uganda Youth Concert for Safe Motherhood Proves a Success!

By Nsinda Elman

WRA Uganda 2011

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Its 11:00am 26th March 2011.Youth journey from their respective areas around Kampala to embrace the youth concert at Makerere Freedom Square which is 1kilometre west of the city center.

Every equipment necessary for the success of the concert is ready to do work: the cameras to capture, the stall for exhibition, Public Address system, stage, film screen for flashing of safe motherhood massages, tents are ready waiting for job and the whole place is decorated with WRA colors and massages. Security is tight- policewomen and men are on guard.

Gates are open at 12:00noon and activities like exhibition, registration of members start. The concert officially begins at 3:00pm with speeches introducing WRA and its overall objectives. The National and the university anthems are sung.

Performances commence amid youth flowing in bigger numbers; from one musician to a comedian and then to musician. The upcoming performers start and make the stage more fascinating for the viewers. One wonders whether they are up-coming; the performers sound as if they are genius!

The crowd cheers on and dance along to various songs and performances, some based on safe motherhood and others just entertaining the crowd on different social issues. WRA’s Musiima Hillary makes a tremendous performance as he sings safe motherhood songs and is joined by WRA-Uganda team dancing and singing along!

Quiz about Safe motherhood and crowd warming activities that keep them involved are conducted. Some participants answer questions and win prizes like tee shirts.

The Chief Guest; Mr. Mondo Kyateka, Commissioner for Youth and Child Affairs is also seen jigging!

Importantly, whoever comes on stage throws massages about safe motherhood! Regrets of 16 women dying every day in the country is heard throughout the concert with an emphasis that this is unacceptable.

Amidst amusement and cheers, organizing committee hands over a framed letter to the Chief Guest; Mr. Mondo Kyateka; asking him to deliver the contained message to parliamentarians to support safe motherhood initiatives, and also lobby  Government to increase funding to Maternal Health.

That was the mood in which the youth concert was conducted.

On handing over a letter to the Chief Guest, Mr. Mondo Kyateka pledged on behalf of government to do whatever it takes to support safe motherhood, and he promised to involve parliamentarians in promoting maternal and newborn health in the country.

A collective statement was printed on a banner workshop and signed by participants expressing the need for a change to promote maternal health in Uganda. The statement suggests that:

“Our generation will not tolerate girls and women dying during pregnancy and childbirth.  Change starts now.  We will play our part to prevent unwanted pregnancies, to raise awareness in our communities and to encourage the girls and women to seek for skilled birth attendance”. The statement adds:  “With this we want our Government to ensure that every pregnant woman has access to skilled birth attendance; to fill the gap of 2,000 midwives and ensure that health workers are motivated and have the necessary supplies and equipment to provide essential care for women during pregnancy and childbirth; and to increase financial resources for health from current 9% of the National Budget to 15%”, as committed in the Abuja Declaration 2001.  

WRA worked with other organizations which provided services, HIV/AIDS voluntary Counseling and testing plus exhibition. These included Generation Free of HIV/AIDS club in Makerere, TASO Uganda, and Labor Ward foundation, Aids Information Centre and MJAB.

Other partners included radio stations like Capital FM, NBSt.v, and radio one which offered free and subsidized airtime for publicity.

Performances from big artistes like Bobi Wine, Navio, Michael Ross, Lillian and M.O.G among others left the youth speechless and demanding for more.  Youth were encouraged to work hand in hand with WRA to support safe motherhood and also to carry the message back to their friends and communities to make every one accountable for saving pregnant women and newborn babies.

   Mr. Bobi Wine performing during the concert

Other artistes that performed at the event include: CASTRO, BREAKDANCE PROJECT UGANDA, WRA-U DRAMA GROUP, STELLA MARIS, ETHEL (a midwife at Mulago Hospital and member of WRA), MAXI, CEASURAS and GERALD.

        

The concert was organized in a bid to: Increase public awareness and mobilize action for safe motherhood, Ignite action at the community, health service delivery and policy levels, Mobilize and energize the youth for safe motherhood and build alliance’s partnership with other stake organizations. 

Different messages on banners, flyers, and stickers, were distributed around secondary schools, universities, towns, public places, and also hanged around the venue whereas others were disseminated during the concert. Other items supplied at the venue were Tee shirts, Paper caps, Bandanas, Canvas Banner and Ribbons.

The concert left the youth speechless and demanding for more.  Youth were encouraged to work hand in hand with WRA to support safe motherhood and also to carry the message back to their friends and communities to make every one accountable for saving pregnant women and newborn babies. The event officially ended at 11:00pm.

  

The number of participants is estimated at 3000 beyond 1000 that had been targeted. About 600 new members were registered.

The Concert was organized by WRA Uganda in collaboration with the youth. Its success is attributed to team work, commitment and publicity strategies that proved effective when the youth turned up in big numbers.


Other Concert pictorials

Youth queuing at the WRA information desk to register as members and receive  messaging materials

L-R WRA youth Team franked by Ms Enid Mwebaza (WRA Board Secretary) handing a letter to Commissioner Mr. Mondo Kyateeka at Makerere Freedom Square on 26 March 2011

Above part of WRA Team that was handling the information and registration desk 

Joel and Bob who were MCs, doing what they do best on stage!

Above Mr. Navio's performing as the youth cheer and dance along

A fun joins Ms Lilian Mbabazi, one of artists at the dance flow

MOG (Man of God) all the way from Nigeria nearly cracked peoples ribs with his Nigerian music, dances punctuated by comedy

WRA Uganda YOUTH CONCERT CALLS FOR A NEW BEGINNING FOR MATERNAL HEALTH

By WRA Uganda


Kampala, Uganda- The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood (WRA) Uganda has organized a youth concert with the theme: “Youth for Safe Motherhood- A New Beginning” to raise awareness and encourage youth and other stakeholders to play their part to save the lives of girls and women dying needlessly in pregnancy and childbirth.  

Leading Ugandan musicians, as well as up-and-coming performers and young people from Kampala and the surrounding areas will unite at Makerere University, Freedom Square on Saturday, 26^th March, 2011 beginning at 3:00PM to call for a new beginning for maternal health.

16 women die every day in Uganda due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Uganda has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in sub-Saharan Africa, with half of its girls giving birth before the age of 18.  The statistics are dreadful, but there is hope because most of these deaths are preventable.  The trouble is that only 42% of births are assisted by a skilled health provider and 63% of women in rural areas give birth at home (UDHS, 2006). Furthermore, Uganda has a shortage of 2,000 midwives, the very people who could help to save women’s lives by providing essential care during pregnancy and childbirth.

This special event is free and open to the public. Bobi Wine, Hillary Musiima, Navio, Lillian Mbabazi, Michael Ross, Pablo and other artists are taking a stand and lending their voices and talents to this important cause.  As Bobi Wine has said, “It’s our responsibility to take the messages to the masses. If men, the community, the leaders and everybody get involved, we can make a difference.” Hillary Musiima echoes this responsibility, producing maternal health advocacy music for the WRA that will be launched during the concert. 

While making noise and raising awareness for safe motherhood, the youth will also deliver a collective statement to the Commissioner of Youth. 

“Our generation will not tolerate girls and women dying during pregnancy and childbirth.  Change starts now!  We will play our part to prevent unwanted pregnancies, to raise awareness in our communities and to encourage the girls and women to seek for skilled birth attendance.”

This message will also call upon the government of Uganda to ensure that every pregnant woman has access to skilled birth attendance; to fill the gap of 2,000 midwives and ensure that health workers have the necessary supplies and equipment to provide essential care for women during pregnancy and childbirth; and to increase financial resources for health from current 9% of the National Budget to 15% as committed in the Abuja Declaration.  

This event will raise awareness and support for maternal health, with the hope that the energy and political will of the youth’s generation will create a new beginning for Uganda’s women and its future—one in which women no longer have to risk death to give birth.  Please join us in taking a stand for girls and women.


END

MATERNAL AND NEWBORN HEALTH SHOULD BE HIGH ON AGENDA OF EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

By Senfuka Samuel

WRA Uganda

Jambo and Karibu Sana! 

White Ribbon Alliance Tanzania (WRA TZ) held a White Ribbon Day on 15^th March, 2011 at Songea, Ruvuma Region. Ruvuma is located in southern Tanzania (TZ) over 1000km from Dar es Salaam city. A few kilometers into the journey to Ruvuma you encounter a naturally gifted area with vast mountain ranges covered by vegetation and punctuated by gorgeous rift valleys. Its wilderness rich in diverse wild animals roaming the nice looking green savannahs, sustainably protected forests forming a wide stretch of canopies and all these make a 14-hours journey less tiresome!

The WRA TZ White Ribbon Day kicked off with a match at led by a youth band and guided by police women and men donned in white. Participants came from different regions of TZ and across the borders. Matchers dressed in white T-shirts with black umbrellas overhead inscribed on maternal and newborn health advocacy messages. This caught the eyes of onlookers as they matched through Songea streets to Maji Maji Memorial Grounds, venue for the function.

TZ White Ribbon Day drew diverse participants from government, community, development agencies, schools, NGOs in the health sector not forgetting a team of 4 people from WRA Uganda. When it came to speeches and remarks the issue of diversity manifested itself, one people, one issue of maternal and newborn health but different languages! Not even being East African could leverage the Ugandan team fully understand Swahili, official language of TZ. Nevertheless, we picked pieces and bits-of course this has to do with the traditional stereotypes Ugandans associate with the language, which is a discussion for another day.

The day celebrations were graced by the Ruvuma Regional Commissioner as a Chief Guest. He closed the day long celebrations by officially launching the WRA TZ Advocacy package booklet.

Other partner organizations and agencies who attended included representatives from UNFPA, USAID, Care, Plan, WHO, Save the Children, UNICEF, AMREF TZ, Women’s Dignity, Maisha, AZANA Bank among others.

Hillary performing at the function joined by the youth

The long awaited moment came when a Ugandan team was invited to make some remarks. The team underscored the need for our governments to move away from commitments to action and also called upon the different partners to form an East African platform to keep the debate and momentum of maternal and newborn health on the East African Community Agenda. This was punctuated by a lively performance from our own Hillary Musiima, WRA Uganda youth member. He thrilled the audience by a song “A better Day for Mothers” which moved every one even from the high table to jig on the floor! The students prayed that the singer continues with the songs but it could not happen due to other items on the programme. He had earlier welcomed the participants by a song “Let us Stand”.

The enthusiasm of the audience inspired Hillary as well to think of composing a song in Swahili, and guess what it was done before we left TZ! The new song is titled “Kina mama wa naliya” translated as Mothers are Crying, thanks to Imelda, WRA TZ youth member who offered translation services freely and Andy John from TBC who shoot the video footage. That is what it means to be an alliance-harnessing and bringing together our individual competences. I guess now everyone is impatient to listen to that new song at the WRA Uganda Youth Concert on 26/03/2011 at Makerere University. Asante Sana Imelda and Andy! 

WRA TZ was very excited about the involvement of the youth in promoting safe motherhood by their Uganda counterparts. This was a big lesson they took seriously for consideration.

All said and done, the situation of maternal and newborn health in TZ is not so different from Uganda’s not even the East African region as a whole.  In TZ 51% of pregnant women have access to qualified health worker during birth compared to 42% (UDHS) in Uganda. Current health expenditure is only US $14 per capita way short of WHO’s minimum standard of US $40. Like in Uganda other issues dogging the TZ health sector include less health workers for maternal health, inadequate health equipment and supplies.   

This calls for regional concerted effort to strengthen and sustain our advocacy efforts towards increased investment in health care to save lives.

WRA Uganda Meets With Health Professionals

WRA Uganda meeting with 40 health professionals at Arua Regional Referral Hospital to discuss maternal health issues and forge a working partnership to save women while giving birth.

A CARING HUSBAND PLAYS HIS PART

By Gertrude Kayaga & Elman Nsinda
WRA Uganda

Kyazze & Agnes sharing  joy of their first newborn at their home in Lukuli Kampala

Agnes Kyazze gives birth to a baby girl after her husband becomes a core for her support. The Husband is called Kyazze Denis, being WRA member, he is aware of what to do for her pregnant wife. He accompanies her to health centre for antenatal checkups; he encourages her to do some exercise as well as giving her nutritious food staffs.

At 11:00pm, 9th February 2011, Agnes starts seeing signs for delivery;’ traces of blood and she feels pain. She informs the husband, and he seeks a motorcycle (Bodaboda) to take her to the nearby clinic, but Agnes stops him as she wants to go by foot in order to have exercise.

“On the 9^th Feb 2011, it came to labour time at around 11:00pm in the evening and I felt pain and saw some signs of delivering like traces of blood.My husband Looked for a bodaboda motorist for transport to the clinic but I stopped him. We footed up to Lukuli clinic because it was not very far and it would it help me do some exercise. During pregnancy, I have been visiting hope clinic in lukuli where I have been receiving antenatal services. Every visit, I used to go with my husband. My husband has been taking good care of me and telling me what to do”. Agnes narrates.

While pain increases, they reach the health facility which has only one mid-wife and busy at the moment! What comes next?

“When we got there, there was one mid-wife still attending to a mother and told us to wait.

We waited for 20 minutes; thereafter a doctor came and attended to me. At 2: 50am, I gave birth to a baby girl who had no problem and I myself was in good condition”. Says Agnes.

Denis is a member of WRA and was one of the youth convoy crew in Kampala. He is thankful to WRA for having equipped him with maternal health information that has empowered him to support his wife for safe motherhood.

“This information has helped me to become responsible and accountable for that pregnancy. We are so grateful for WRA, for we are knowledgeable about safe motherhood massages we get that have managed to save us”.

It’s very wise for the family and the community at large to prepare for pregnancy for instance saving money to cater for things like medical checkups for the pregnant mother, transport, mamakit and medical charges among other requirements. This helps to mitigate panic at the labour time. Denis had done well but he experienced fears at the time of labour, he had little money to cater for needs at the time as he narrates:

“I had no enough money but I improvised, and am now happy my wife and baby managed to make it. I have been working had saving money, and giving her advice on how to take care of herself”.

WRA-UGANDA SPREADS TO MID-WEST UGANDA!

By Tracy Walakira

WRA Uganda Youth Advocate

 WRA members in Hoima District pose for a group photo after awareness meeting 

We are in the mid-western Uganda in Kiboga District, spreading safe motherhood messages to new stakeholders. We traveled from Kampala on 14^th February and managed to hold different meetings in Kiboga District with the District Council Officials such as the Community Development Officer, the Deputy Community Administrative Officer, and the Chief Health Inspector; visited the District Head Office and had a meeting with the Staff. We have also reached out to the media in the area & continuing to do the same in other Districts.

After Kiboga we have continued to Kyankwanzi, which is the next District and done the same work; bringing different stakeholders to appreciating maternal and new born health issues & come on board to advocate for positive change. We have met with some of WRA members here who have been so helpful in mobilizing different stakeholders. We have managed to sensitize & register 14 new members and also formed a WRA regional Committee to carry on with ground work in the area with the help of the team from WRA Uganda Secretariat.

It's such a tremendous experience seeing how the Alliance is growing bigger and bigger & people appreciating maternal health issues in our Country. The Youth Convoy experience really helped us realize how we can reach-out to so many people in just a short while. We have encouraged the members to involve in the "Dreams for My daughter Activity" as we commemorate the 100^th International Women's Day Anniversary. We are continuing to Hoima, Masindi and Arua District