Help Families with Nodding Syndrome in N Uganda

Project: Supporting Families of Children suffering from Nodding Syndrome.

Report compiled by Aloyo Innocent Jessie, Project Leader: River Fund HIV/AIDs Family Support Women Association, Kitgum.

Report period: August - November, 2017

The River Fund HIV/AIDs Family Support Association is a Community Based Organization (CBO) founded in 2007 by committed and motivated women to contribute towards improving the quality of life of persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and life threatening diseases, through educating and empowering the women and girls on HIV/AIDs Long Term Survival Skills, sponsorship and mentorship of girls in schools, economic empowerment and livelihood enhancement for self-reliance through seeds provision, training in kitchen gardening andsupport to malnourished children through provision of trainings in nutrition, and provision of  basic items like soap, sugar, cooking oil, salt.

The organisation envisions a just and caring society where people yearn to help one another and realize that every human being is connected to one another for a change in the world with values such as: sharing, Love, Non-Discrimination, Humility, Peace, Non Violence, Justice, Inclusiveness, Service, Dedication, Honesty, Transparency, and Compassion.

Activities carried out this quarter.

1. Meeting with care givers of NS patients.

A meeting was held with parents and care givers of NS patients at Okidi parish. In the meeting, the parents requested for inclusion of nonfood items like blankets, clothing to support the children during rainy season.

Concern of hygiene especially for households with more than 3 children is a major issue in that the children have to share beddings like blankets and bedsheets. This is not appropriate for children who are sick and who get attacks sometimes at night when they are asleep.

With the little source of income for the households, the parents are not able to provide for clothing for the children as required as such this makes the children to wear same cloth for more than 2 or 3 days which puts them at greater risk of other disease infection.

A NS patient enjoys the dance as caregivers perform the ‘Otole†dance during the meeting with caregivers at Okidi Parish.

2. Food distribution

Food distribution was done for the month of September 2017. A total of 35 households received Posho (25Kgs) each, beans (5 Kgs) each, Rice(5kgs), Cooking Oil (3 ltrs), Sugar(5kgs), soap(5bars), fish- lacede (1 basin) and porridge flour(4.5kgs)

Of the 35 households, a total of 52 children (Female 25: male 27) suffering from the NS are being supported with both food and nonfood items. All the 25 girls received 4 packets of sanitary pads each.

Lessons learnt.

1. Food production in the district of Kitgum this year has been greatly affected by long dry spell. This has affected the households of families with NS more as little harvest was received from the plants.
2. Food distribution has greatly improved on the households nutrition. Due to the little harvests received, the food being received by the households has helped to supplement the households diet and improved on the childrens wellbeing.
3. Psychosocial support in terms of counselling and traditional folk songs help to improve on the emotional wellbeing of parents and care givers leading to a positive shift in the healing process.
4. More households are left out of the distribution due to limited resources which is only enough to support 35 households.
5. Much as the food distributed is supplementing the households diet, the food received is still limited and can only support the households mid-way through the month.
6. There are limited Clothing and beddings for the children.

Way forward.

1. Food distribution to continue monthly.
2. More counselling and interactive sessions to be conducted. 

We are so thankful to GlobalGiving and the River Fund for this support. We could not have done this without all of your help.