Information
Where does SOVHEN Uganda work:
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SOVHEN Uganda
Kampala, Uganda
Supporting Orphans & Vulnerable for Better Health, Education and Nutrition in Uganda is a student founded NGO that mobilizies youth to undertake community development initiatives.
SOVHEN is currently active in five universities and in four districts of Uganda. At each location SOVHEN volunteers work to address the issues that are most relevant and vital to their immediate community. This means that SOVHEN has dozens of different project currently active across the country. Ultimately, we are working together to form a community dialogue, promote economic and social development and improve quality of life across Uganda.
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Current Projects
BaNaPad Social Enterprises
With support from the International Labor Organization, SOVHEN is currently manufacturing low cost, eco-friendly sanitary pads from local materials. The project is based at the SOVHEN headquarters in Mpigi District. Local women are employed to manufacture sanitary pads from banana pseudo stems and paper waste. Within the year, distribution and sales will begin in the surrounding villages. This project was designed to reduce the absenteeism and drop-out rates of Ugandan girls who are frequently miss school because they lack sufficient means of menstrual management. Additionally, the factory provides a source of income to local women, and we work with our employees to encourage entrepreneurship and develop business skills.
Donna Carnevale Medical Center
In partnership with the Carnevale family, the Donna Carnevale Medical Center is operating adjacent to the SOVHEN headquarters. The medical center provides low-cost healthcare to the surrounding villages.HIV, malaria and other parasitic infections are rampant in the area, but many families don’t have the money to seek medical care. DCMC is dedicated to helping these families. Medical center staff members are also spear-heading community outreach programs to educate the area on effective methods of disease prevention.
Inclusive Education
SOVHEN is currently working with three schools in the Masaka, Lwengo and Rakai Districts to implement more inclusive teaching methods. Most recently, with support from Mobility USA, SOVHEN has held community sensitization and teacher training meetings on special needs education. Construction work is being completed in all three schools to make facilities more accessible for students with physical disabilities. Going forward we hope that international volunteers will be active in improving the quality of teaching in these schools.
Saving for Education
With support from Global Fund for Children, USA, SOVHEN is helping local orphans and their caretakers to budget, plan, and save for future education. SOVHEN provides children with wooden piggy banks and balance books to track their savings, and every 5 months deposits the contributions at a local bank. We provide the families with income generation activity training and support and encourage them to make education a priority.
Partner Needs
Community Health Outreach
We are currently looking for medical and public health volunteers to educate the community on effective methods of disease prevention.
Opportunities:
• Develop and implement health education and promotion programs in rural Uganda
• Travel to surrounding villages, visit local schools and hospitals to discuss health issues
• Shadow the doctor, nurse and lab technician at the adjacent health centers
• Develop an understanding of the challenges of rural healthcare and work towards solutions
Requirements:
• Have completed or be pursuing training in the fields of medicine or public health
• Be ready to contribute to discussions and activities centered on health promotion in the area
Teachers and Education Students
Opportunities for:
• Primary and Secondary Teachers
o Work with Ugandan teachers to encourage a more participatory, child-based learning environment
o Demonstrate how teachers can utilize local resources to provide quality educational programs
• Special Education Teachers
o Teach mainstream schools to identify, assess and include children with special needs
o Work with teachers to develop effective teaching methods
• English Teachers-
o Work one-on-one with Ugandan children to develop English language skills
o Train teachers to improve the English courses offered at local schools
• Vocation Teachers
o Provide students with practical skills that will enable them to find work (i.e. carpentry, artwork, gardening, wool knitting)
Medical Specialists and Students
We work in coordination with the Donna Carnevale Medical Center to provide quality, low-cost medical care to 12 villages in Kankobe, Uganda. We are currently looking for volunteers to travel to our center in Kankobe, Uganda to improve the medical care offered at the medical center.
Opportunities:
• Work closely with medical center staff to strengthen primary care services, improve referrals and widen access to care
• Help diagnose and treat a wide variety of tropical and infectious diseases
Volunteers should have experience working in rural/tropical medicine. Phyisicians are needed who specialize in Infectious Disease, Psychiatry, Ob-Gyn, Pediatrics and Family Medicine. Dentists, midwives and nurses are also needed. This is a fantastic opportunity for medical students to apply their studies in rural medicine.
Mission Statement
SOVHEN Uganda is working towards a better quality of life for orphans and other vulnerable groups living in difficult circumstances. Our community development initiatives empower Ugandans to take steps towards a better life.