ARDF and Solar Light for Africa Partner to help Uganda’s Kalungi Medical Clinic
The Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF) has partnered with Solar Light for Africa (SLA), an Anglican Global Mission Partner, to provide $51,574 in grant monies for new equipment and electricity for a Ugandan medical clinic sponsored by the diocese of West Buganda. The Kalungi Clinic is located south of Kampala, Uganda, in an area that lacks basic healthcare facilities.
With the nearest hospital almost three hours away by automobile and 12 hours by bicycle, the church-sponsored clinic provides quality medical care and vaccinations to over 5,000 people, many of whom have easily-treatable medical problems. The ARDF/SLA grant replaced a kerosene-powered refrigerator with solar-powered units, enabling the clinic to store vaccines, medicine and blood for longer periods of time. The grant also provided funds to replace kerosene lamps and candles with electric lighting, allowing extended and more effective clinic service hours.
“When people get sick, some of them die because they have nowhere to go. No one else has tried to start a clinic. The people demanded it by bringing sick people on bicycles,” said the Rt. Rev. Samuel Semakula Kamya, West Buganda diocesan bishop. “Now, the people know the church runs the clinic. They know when God is behind it, everything can operate.”
The clinic is paired with local village churches whose members serve the clinic by providing shelter and food to those who have traveled great distances to receive medical care. “These medical clinics promote the diocese’s Gospel-sharing efforts as people see God’s love in action,” said Canon Nancy Norton, ARDF Executive Director. “This project ramped up healthcare services in a region of 10,000 people, bringing the people served into contact with the spiritual and physical power of Jesus, and surrounding them with the love and care of a Christian community.”
The ARDF project also helped leverage funds from other agencies to partner with Solar Light in Africa. The Coca-Cola Company and the United States Agency for International Development provided additional funds expanding the project to provide clean drinking water using solar-powered pumps. This project provided not only clean water for the clinic, but also installed three spigots in the local community to give the residents access to clean, potable water.
To find out more about ARDF or to see a current list of approved projects, go to www.anglicanaid.net. For questions about ARDF or to adopt a specific project, contact Canon Nancy Norton at nancy@anglicanaid.net. ARDF is the relief and development initiative of the Anglican Communion Network.
Posted 4/3/07