First post from West Nile, the Best Nile

Welcome to my my new blog, "Mundo How are you?"  Some days this is the most frequent phrase I hear in English, and it seems an apt title for my blog.  I hope to use this space to convey updates on my new life in Uganda.  I am living in Arua, the largest town in the West Nile (Best Nile) region of Uganda.  West Nile is the most northern and western region of Uganda, bordering on South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  I have come here to be a part of a program called the Global Health Service Partnership (GHSP) which aims to build capacity among health care workers in Sub Saharan Africa.  The partnership is a collaborations between Seed Global Health, the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and Peace Corps.  Currently GHSP is working in Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Liberia and Swaziland.  GHSP asks volunteers for a one year commitment to teach either nurses or physicians in training at facilities in those five countries.  We are invited to be here by the host institutions who can apply to Seed for assistance in their capacity building efforts.  Once an institution is adopted by Seed, programs are developed to bring volunteer nurse or physician educators to country to begin working with the local host.  I am in the second set of volunteers at Muni University in Arua.  Last year two nurse educators kicked off our program and were able to assist the university in getting the program certified as a school of nursing and midwifery by the Ugandan Council of Nurses and Midwifery.

This year we have opened the first Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNS) program in the region.  I am here with another volunteer, Karen B.,  a hard hitting Emergency Department RN from New York City.  We are serving as clinical and theory lecturers along with two other nurses - D. Amos the Acting of Director of Nursing and Midwifery, and K. Tracy, a nursing professor from one of my favorite towns in Uganda, Fort Portal.  Together with professors who teach anatomy and physiology, biology and biochemistry, we are starting to guide a group of 27 nursing students towards the four year goal of obtaining a BNS degree.  The class of 2020 is made up of 9 men and 18 women.  9 are direct entry students who have no experience in nursing, fresh out of the equivalent to US high school, they are starting their nursing school experience fresh.  The other 18 students are all experienced nurses who have completed a certificate in nursing or a diploma in nursing.  I'd say these are equivalent to a certified nursing assistant certificate and approximately an associates degree in nursing in the US, respectively.  Transitioning to a BNS is a big deal for these nurses as it will bring them a higher standing in the order of civil service employment and allow them to seek management positions within the region or to work at higher level private facilities with better pay.  I am amazed by the dedication of these students.  They range from 18-50 years and are present on campus from 8a-5p or later Monday thru Friday.

Arua is a magical place.  We are three degrees north of the equator.  Best Nile is remote, nearly 8 hours by road from the capital of Uganda, Kampala.  Life here is based on agriculture and hard work.  The dominant regional language is Lugbara, though many other languages exist and thrive here on the borders of three tumultuous nations.  I hope to share my victories and my losses, the challenges of being a "Mundo" or a white foreigner in a land if shining, gorgeous dark skinned locals.  As I share with you insights about my work and my life here in Uganda, I hope you'll take time to comment and let me know what you think and feel as you read my posts.

Please note that the following posts are not a reflection of policy, nor official positions of any of the aforementioned agencies.  These are my personal views and should never be taken to represent Peace Corps Uganda or the US Peace Corps, nor PEPFAR, nor Seed Global Health, nor Muni University.  These words and images are meant only to represent me, Casey Jones, so don't confuse them for any official messages from anyone else.