Nama Wellness Community Centre Celebrates 10 Years of providing quality healthcare services
In celebration of our 10th anniversary, pre-event activities were conducted between November 2023 and June 2024. During these activities, we focused on advocacy, health promotion and prevention, addressing climate change, and health services delivery.
The celebrations culminated in a high-level luncheon, which was officiated by Dr. Charles Olaro, Director of Health Services (Curative) at the Ministry of Health, on 28th June 2024.
Pre-event Activities in celebration of the 10 years.
01. Sanitation Week
The sanitation week was organized to raise awareness in communities about the significance of a clean environment. Through community radios and VHTs, communities were encouraged to participate in mass cleaning of urban centers in the parishes of Nama Subcounty. Local leaders and community members were actively involved to instill a sense of responsibility. Additionally, VHTs were encouraged to continue taking lead in ensuring a clean and safe environment.”
02. Football tournaments
On March 16, 2024, corporate matches were held with the participation of like-minded organizations and companies. The Parish games occurred on April 8th and 9th, 2024, with all the 6 parishes of Nama participating, and Namawojolo parish emerged the winner.
Through these games, we created awareness about NCDs and strengthened our partnerships. Additionally, we were able to raise awareness about the range of services we provide.
03. Thanks Giving Prayers
As an organization with Christian values, we believe that we have been able to operate for 10 years because of God. Therefore, on 19th May 2024, we held a prayer session to thank Him for enabling our 10-year milestone and to pray for the years ahead.
04. Wellness Days Program
The Wellness Days program was launched to offer free or subsidized health services to the residents of Mukono. With the support of VHTs, we aim to promote health and raise awareness about the services we provide at NAWEC HCIII. This initiative will be taking place on a quarterly basis at our health facility, with a range of health services to be offered to the people.
05. Addressing SDG 13 through planting trees in our catchment areas
As an organization dedicated to enhancing healthcare quality, we recognize the impact of climate change on overall health. The World Bank reports that a warmer climate could result in at least 21 million deaths by 2050 from health risks. In response, we joined the global effort to combat climate change through the tree-planting project that kicked off on 8th June 2024.
We collaborated with financial institutions, community-based organizations, local leaders, and VHTs to plant trees in homes within our catchment area. Communities were mobilized to participate in the activity to create a sense of ownership and responsibility, leading to the sustainability of the project.
Key Highlights from the High Level Luncheon
The high-level luncheon was held on 28th June 2024 at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel Kampala to celebrate our 10th Anniversary. The event was officiated by Dr Charles Olaro, Director Health Service-Curative, Ministry of Health-Uganda (MOH) and was attended by various partners and stakeholders.
Speech from Dr. Charles Olaro, Guest of Honor
In his speech, Dr. Olaro emphasized MOH’s shift towards strengthening community health, with a major focus on health promotion and disease prevention, to ensure the realization of the National Health Policy, National Development Plan III and Uganda Vision 2040 goals. He also encouraged NAWEC and other partners to leverage on the Parish Development Model to promote health in the communities. He emphasized the need to promote self-care by empowering communities to self-test.
Additionally, he equated the 10 years of NAWEC to an adolescence stage and emphasized the need for more financial and technical support at such a stage. In conclusion, he expressed appreciation to NAWEC for their efforts in ensuring accessible healthcare in the communities and requested them to consider expanding to the entire Mukono district. He also pledged continued support from MOH and the government of Uganda.
Speech from Dr. Fred Kagwire, UNICEF representative
He lauded NAWEC for its work over the past decade in strengthening the health systems in Mukono District and Uganda as a whole. The accomplishments of NAWEC in the health sector contribute to the rights of children, aligning with UNICEF’s agenda. He also acknowledged NAWEC’s efforts to improve immunization coverage and urged them to ensure that no child is left behind. Finally, he expressed gratitude to NAWEC for empowering VHT through capacity building, making the organization a centre of learning for Community Health Worker (CHW) programs.
Speech from Carolyn Wanyonyi, Community Health Impact Coalition (CHIC) Representative
She emphasized the role of CHIC in equipping CHWs with the knowledge and skills to be the best advocates for themselves.
This involves providing public speaking platforms and supporting them to form national associations where they can speak as a unified voice.
She commended NAWEC for adopting the CHIC principles and advocating for the inclusion of the Advocacy training course in the national VHT curriculum.
Speech from Mr. Mike Segawa, RDC Mukono representative
In a message on behalf of Hajjati Ndisaba Fatuma, RDC Mukono, Mr. Mike Segawa appreciated NAWEC for being a strong partner in Mukono District and for consistently supporting the district during times of crisis, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also acknowledged NAWEC’s commitment to preparing the district for potential disasters such as the Ebola outbreak. Additionally, he highlighted NAWEC’s efforts in providing access to health services in remote areas such as Koome. In conclusion, he congratulated NAWEC on its 10th Anniversary and pledged continued support from the RDC’s office.
Dr. Rose Alenyo- NAWEC Board Chair,
In her speech, she focused on NAWEC’s work over the last decade, highlighting the support provided to VHTs to enhance their capacity and deliver quality health services through the community health program. Additionally, she mentioned NAWEC’s plans to expand its programs. In conclusion, she appreciated the Ministry of Health, funders, partners, NAWEC staff, and the community for their support.
Mukono District Health Office Representatives,
She mentioned that, due to the hard work of NAWEC in collaboration with the health department and other partners, Mukono district is in category one under immunization performance. This indicates good access and utilization. She praised NAWEC for strengthening Primary Health Care through the VHT model.
The luncheon marked the grand finale of our 10-year anniversary celebrations, and it was truly a momentous occasion with guests from various organizations, entities, and media houses. These included the Ministry of Health, GFF, Segal Family Foundation, Mukono DLG, CHIC, KLC, representatives from the parliament, UNICEF, Makerere University School of Public Health, Access Uganda, Nyaka, Kinga Health, NAWEC board members and staff, New Vision, Capital FM, and Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC).”
Watch our 10-Year anniversary documentary Here.
Watch highlights of the NAWEC @1O Luncheon event Here
Daily Monitor Publication about NAWEC’s 10 year journey Here
Nama Wellness Community Centre anniversary magazine Here
