Agaba Monic
Monic was born in Hoima District. She graduated with a diploma in nursing from The Mulago School of Nursing and Midwifery in Kampala. She also obtained a certificate in Maternal, Neonatal and Child Development. Her interests are adolescent challenges in the developing world and HIV/AIDS/TB/cancer interventions.
Monic is an Assistant Nursing Officer and is currently employed at the Platinum Plus Pharmacy in Kawempe Branch, Kampala. She has been a nurse for five years and has passion for the local community to be knowledgeable about how to lead a healthy life.
Monic feels by volunteering as a nurse for FAAYO Community Heart Health Initiative health events will enable her to give a hand in educating the rural communities about rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease and healthy lifestyle behaviours that will lead people in the rural communities to better health.
Atuhura Julian
Julian, is a professional midwife and counselor. She lives in Duhaga, Hoima City and has recently volunteered at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital and Buseruka Health Centre III. She currently works as a midwife at the Doctor’s Clinic which is a private health facility in Hoima City. Julian has donated her time and skills by assisting FAAYO with health events in Hoima District.
“Besides my profession as an enroled mid-wife, I am also a professional counselor. With my experience in working with the Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, I well understand the trauma, stress and panic that come along whenever people are diagnosed with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and cardiovascular diseases. There are so many challenges that come along when a person is diagnosed with heart disease, unlike the other NCDs that are cared for in the Hoima Regional Hospital. Heart disease patients are referred to Mulago Hospital to seek specialized treatment at the Uganda Heart Institute. I feel that my involvement with FAAYO Community Heart Health Initiative will bridge a big gap in the communities of Hoima.”
Kanohiri Harriet
Harriet is a staff nurse who works at Jeno Medical Centre in Nansana, Kampala. She is proud of her good communication skills that help her in conducting health education among her patients and creating awareness among community members about diseases. She also has a special place in her heart for children with disabilities.
“In my home village, Katikara North in Katikara Subcounty, people are not even aware of rheumatic heart disease (RHD). I have never heard anyone educate the community about it. My new awareness has empowered me to volunteer with FAAYO to create more awareness about heart disease in the community because I believe other communities just like mine are not aware of this condition nor of congenital heart diseases. However, I have seen children who suffer from heart diseases whose parents have abandoned them thinking that it is witchcraft, curses and bad omens causing their child’s poor health.”
Harriet feels that volunteering as a nurse for FAAYO Community Heart Health Initiative will enable her to give a hand in educating the rural and urban communities about rheumatic and congenital heart disease. She knows that teaching healthy lifestyle behaviours will improve the health of the community and especially children.
Musinguzi William
William is a community volunteer and resource person based in Hoima where he is a businessman and community leader. He is a resident of Kiryabana village in Hoima City and has been a businessman for over 15 years. William has a passion for financial development in his community. He is a leader of a vendors group and the chairperson of Hoima Tweyambe Development Association, a saving and credit group.
William was attracted to join FAAYO as a volunteer after hearing about its activities in the community. He had heard many myths and misconceptions about heart diseases in his community such as “heart diseases don’t get cured” and “heart diseases can only be cured from outside the country”. He also heard “people with heart diseases don’t get married… (those) women … are too weak to do house chores”. He knew this kind of misinformation discourages people from seeking hospital medical attention and instead, opt for local herbal treatments.
When FAAYO was started in Hoima, Mr William was attracted to join the team and learn more about the disease so he could help his community. He is contributing as a community resource person to link community members to FAAYO and to coordinate FAAYO activities around rural communities of Hoima.
Mr Williams’s vision is to see FAAYO reaching out to the community and changing their perceptions about heart diseases, bridging the knowledge gap about heart diseases, providing psycho-social support to people living with heart disease in Hoima and working toward the end of stigma for people living with heart diseases in rural communities.