Friends of Kumi Hospital was set up in 2008 to support the hospital as an establishment and its local community. This is done through a variety of projects which include:
This enables the hospital to continue to function and develop in this remote part of rural Uganda. Currently we have four UK based trustees and one Ugandan Trustee.
Frances who qualified as a physiotherapist in 2003, first went to Kumi in 2007 on a voluntary basis for six months. On her return in 2008 she set up Friends of Kumi Hospital. In the UK Frances practises as an Army Physiotherapist specialising in Musculoskeletal and Orthpaedic physiotherapy. She is married to Eddie Semakula, a Ugandan Physiotherapist who is equally as passionate as Frances about healthcare provision in his home country. Frances and Eddie met at Kumi Hospital, where he was Head of Physiotherapy from 2007 -2009.
Secretary - Pauline Allcock
Pauline qualified as a registered nurse in 1965 and worked in general medicine. She and her husband worked in Zambia for 7 years, where her work was in public health, involving under fives clinics in semi rural areas, nutrition advice, World Health Organisation (WHO) vaccination programmes, treatment of malnourished children and health talks to women. In the UK she then worked for 2 different charities (Leonard Cheshire Disability charity and the Multiple Sclerosis Society), followed by working as a matron in an elderly peoples nursing home. Her work took her back to Africa for 2 years, where she worked in Malawi, teaching health education in schools. Pauline is now retired and has three children and three grandchildren, whilst enjoying her work as a trustee of Friends of Kumi Hospital.
Treasurer - Gillian Fairhurst
Gillian initially trained in foreign languages and teaching English to overseas students, before moving into personnel management and administration. Together with her husband Mark she spent over 20 years running and managing a care business for vulnerable elderly people in Cornwall, the West of England. She has a deep and enduring interest in the development of the third sector and following retirement she has completed Institute of Leadership Management training as a life coach and mentor. Gillian has visited Kumi Hospital as a charity memeber on a number of occasions and has a particular interest in the educational projects, after working alongside the late Rev Jeremiah Acelun, one of the founding Ugandan trustees.
Steve trained in Mechanical Engineering before joining the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Electrical Technician, serving for fifteen years whilst studying part-time with the Open University. Graduating as a Design Technology Teacher in 1995, Steve went on to take up a Lecturing post in a Further Education College.
An active member of the Anglican St. Keverne Church in South West Cornwall in England, Steve has led Alpha courses and met Jeremiah Acelun when he visited Cornwall as a represntative of TESS. Steve is married to Ruth who is passionate about supporting our Christian brothers and sisters in Kumi.
Charles is an Anglican priest who was ordained in 1977, following his graduation in theological studies. He is currently working for the Kumi Diocese as a Diocesan Secretary, and lives in Kumi Town with his wife and 9 children. Charles first met Frances Semakula through their work together setting up Alpha courses for Kumi in 2007.
According to the governing document, when Friends of Kumi Hospital was registered with the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales, the objects of the charity are:
1) The relief of sickness and the preservation of health among people residing permanently or temporarily in the area served by Kumi Hospital (Eastern Uganda). This includes assisting in the treatment and care of persons suffering from mental or physical illness of any description or in need of rehabilitation as a result of such illness, by the provision of healthcare facilities.
2) The advancement of training and retraining required for personnel in the running of Kumi Hospital (Eastern Uganda).
3) The promotion for the benefit of the public, of rural regeneration in areas of social and economic deprivation and in particular in the area served by Kumi Hospital (Eastern Uganda) by the following means:
a. The relief of financial hardship and of unemployment
b. The maintenance, improvement or provision of public amenities
c. The provision of public health facilities and child care
d. Such other means as may from time to time be determined subject to the prior written consent of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales
Considering that over 38% of the population lives below the poverty line (1US$/day), health could be one of those factors that are actually driving people into poverty. The government spends only 7.2% of the total budget on health, despite making a commitment to spend 15% of its total budget. With the health sector running at half the expected budget, it will be next to impossible to talk about quality health care in Uganda.
© 2012 friendsofkumihospital.org
Registered Charity No: 1126962