This October marks a momentous milestone—20 years of providing life-saving medical care in Uganda! It all began in 2004 when caring individuals like you responded to the urgent call for help. The Lord’s Resistance Army, a violent rebel group, forced thousands of Ugandans from their homes. Families fled in search of safety, leaving everything behind. It was during this crisis that you, our incredible community of donors and supporters, extended a helping hand. You provided not only immediate relief but long-term healing that has continued for two decades. Today, we celebrate the impact of your love and generosity in Uganda. A Legacy of Compassionate Care Since 2004, your commitment to Uganda has transformed countless lives. Through the turbulence of Ebola outbreaks and regional conflicts, your support has been a steady force for good. These 20 years prove how long-term investment can profoundly impact communities. Our work is more than just the joy of seeing a patient healed from illness in a moment. When you invest in a community for a sustained amount of time, you start to make a generational impact. You are investing in infrastructure and training that will allow people to receive care for decades to come. You are investing in women who are changing their community, like Florance — who took what she learned from a Medical Teams nutritionist and started teaching her own cooking class to women in her community. You have made a long-lasting and far-reaching difference by healing countless people over the last two decades, giving them a new purpose, and empowering them to invest back into their own community. Jason Evans, our Uganda Country Director, reflects on this incredible journey: “Over the past 20 years in Uganda, we’ve made an incredible impact on the country’s health ecosystem. We are a recognized leader in this space. We set an example of what is possible within the health care sector in Uganda.” Healing Through the Years: Highlights from Uganda Your impact over the last two decades in Uganda is nothing short of extraordinary. Here are some highlights: Last year, more than 30,000 mothers safely gave birth thanks to you. Since the creation of two Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in refugee camps, more than 3,500 premature babies have received critical care. In the past four years alone, over 5 million children have been screened for malnutrition. More than 1,200 community health workers have been trained to connect their neighbors to vital health care services. It’s hard to capture the full scope of your generosity’s impact, but stories like Devota’s bring it to life. Devota’s Story: One Refugee’s Journey to Healing Devota and her husband fled the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and sought safety in a refugee camp in Uganda. It was here that they were connected with Medical Teams International through a Medical Teams community outreach volunteer. Devota delivered both her children at a Medical Teams clinic. Later, when her newborn developed a fever, she knew exactly where to go. Despite her fears, she found comfort in the care you helped provide. “I had faith in the doctors treating her,” Devota says. “I knew she would be alright.” You gave Devota peace of mind when she needed it most. Her story is one of many that demonstrate the real difference your compassion makes. For 20 years, you’ve given the people of Uganda the gift of healing. Thank you for daring to love like Jesus, and for continuing to stand by our brothers and sisters in Uganda. See 22 photos of health care in action from the last decade of work in Uganda 2014-2024 Since 2004, our teams have responded to new and long-term crises affecting refugees. 2014 marks ten years of this life-saving work. Uganda is the fourth largest host of refugees in the world. As the most politically stable country relative to its neighbors, many people fleeing violence take shelter there. Our teams at the welcome center treat sick or injured people upon their arrival to Uganda. Since 2013, over 1.5 million South Sudanese have become refugees, escaping ethnically-charged violence and starvation. Restoring health is the first step to restoring hope for refugees who have lost everything. Medical Teams’ community health worker model helps reach those suffering, even in the most remote places. Life is hard for all refugees, but women and children face even greater risks. With your help, we protect and care for them. Hungry children are given emergency therapeutic foods. Mothers and children who have lost everything are healed and comforted. In partnership with Cambia, an Android application was introduced to our teams as a health management solution for medical records and patient data. Thanks to your generosity, we can care for the newest lives in Uganda. At Medical Teams clinics, pregnant mothers receive prenatal care and get help delivering their babies. Refugees have survived so much. It is unacceptable that they should die from a treatable illness. As soon as a refugee crosses the border to safety, our teams help spot and treat diseases like malaria, cholera and COVID-19 before they have the opportunity to spread. “As a leading health and humanitarian organization in Uganda, Medical Teams consistently provides essential medical aid to people seeking refuge from violence and instability,” said Jason Evans, Uganda Country Director for Medical Teams. In 2018, crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo led to an influx of people seeking safety from the violence, heading to nearby Uganda where health clinics cater to their needs. Upon arrival at the border transit center, our teams provide health screening and immunizations for incoming refugees. After her first two babies died during childbirth, Janet, a Congolese refugee, lost hope. However, Medical Teams supported her with prenatal care in her third pregnancy and helped her safely deliver her healthy baby girl! In 2019, insecurity and violence led thousands of Congolese to flee to Uganda amid the Ebola outbreak. Medical Teams provided health screening checkpoints where our teams screened each refugee as they cross the border into Uganda to help stop the spread of this deadly disease. Medical Teams health workers get dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) to help screen incoming refugees for ebola. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, the need for basic medical care didn’t cease to exist. Our teams provided hygiene kits, prevention education, and shipped a Mobile Medical Container. This container gave a space for doctors to offer health services in very remote areas. When five-year-old David arrived at the Medical Teams clinic, he was so malnourished that he was the size of a two-year-old. After his grandma received nutrition counseling and he spent two months of intensive care, David is poised for a bright future. Seven-year-old Thiery became critically ill with a combination of malaria, malnutrition, and tuberculosis. Arriving at the Medical Teams clinic, a nurse immediately started him on IV fluids, antibiotics, and malaria medication. After Thiery’s recovery from malaria he was enrolled in the nutrtion program. Thiery’s mother, Florance, worked with a nutritionist over the next several months to ensure Thiery was gaining weight. Since the creation of two Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in refugee camps, more than 3,500 premature babies have received critical care. In March 2022, rebel attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo forced over 10,000 men, women, and children to flee for their lives overnight — leaving behind their homes and belongings — and become refugees in Uganda. As more refugees arrived every day, we responded to the critical needs of people who have lost nearly everything. Obedi and his family left the DRC in 2012 and have been living in a refugee settlement in Uganda. For the last two years, Obedi has received life-changing treatment from a Medical Teams psychologist. His mental health deteriorates rapidly without medication. But with medication and counseling, he can live a happy and full life. When Paska’s daughter, Keisi, fell ill with malaria, Paska was frantic with worry. But because of compassionate people like you, Paska could bring Keisi to a Medical Teams clinic. Providers were waiting with open arms to ease Paska’s worry and care for her beloved daughter. In 2023 alone, there were 1,866 newborns admitted to our NICUs. At the border of Uganda and South Sudan, hundreds of Sudanese people crossed the border each day in June 2024. Thanks to you, some of the first people they meet in Ugdana are Medical Teams, providing screening and/or treatment for blood pressure and nutrition, and vaccinating children to protect them against diseases. Medical Teams staff help newly arrived refugees understand the different processes they need to go through before they are resettled, exemplifying one of our values – not alone. We know God is always with us as we stand in solidarity with others! Be Part of the Next Chapter of Hope For 20 years, you’ve provided life-saving care. Your generosity has touched millions of lives, but the need for healing is ongoing. You can partner with us to bring care to even more communities in need. Help us continue this vital work by making a gift today. Previous Post « Welcoming Our New President & CEO, Eric Ha Next Post How a Simple Test Saved A Life: Niyukuri’s Story of Strength and Survival »