For more information on Guiding Light Orphans Inc., please visit our website, www.guidinglightorphans.org

Guiding Light Orphans Key facts in Masindi District of Uganda

CHALLANGES • Malaria - In a recent test at GLO

Medical Camp, 66.6% of individuals had malaria

• HIV/AIDS - WHO estimates about 1.2 million children have been orphaned by the epidemic, leaving grandparents taxed with raising their grandchildren, even when they can barely sustain themselves

• Lack of Medical Care - 78-82% of the population live in rural areas. For most, the nearest medical facility is six miles away, impossible to walk to when they are sick, and very few have other transportation

• Epilepsy - Masindi has one of the greatest concentrated numbers of people with epilepsy epidemic. The

cause is still unknown and no research is yet being conducted there

• Poverty - Ugandan families currently live on less than $2 per day. According to the World Bank, Uganda’s GDP per capita is $422.36. Poverty brings malnutrition, disease, illness, and other issues.

• Lack of Education - Cultural myths and the lack of continued education has deprived individuals from learning the basic essentials, such as, better nutrition, family planning, sex

education, and personal hygiene

SOLUTIONS • GLO has held five medical camps

since February 2014, reaching over 5,000 people and provided community health education and treatment

• GLO trained ten Village Health Care Workers (VHT’s) in family planning and epilepsy care. These ten VHT’s were provided with equipment like bicycles, megaphones, solar lamps, and other equipment to cover two parishes consisting of 18 villages with over 24,000 people • GLO trained the ten VHT’s and ten

new Epilepsy Ambassadors (individuals with epilepsy that are being treated) in the management of epilepsy and peer-to-peer counseling and empowerment. The Epilepsy Ambassadors became liaisons for those that are afraid to seek care for their epilepsy

• The Girl Power Program started by GLO provided fifty uniforms for high school girls. The girls were also provided with backpacks, hygiene products, and scholastic supplies. GLO also counseled the young women in sexual reproductive health and rights

RESULTS • Over 5,000 community members

have received community health education and treatment via medical camps from GLO’s variety of services. The key services offered are free and basic medical care for malaria treatment, HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, family planning, dental work, vaccination of children (for polio, diphtheria, measles, tetanus, etc.), nutritional education, hygiene and sanitation, cervical cancer screenings, prenatal care, eye care, and treatment for other general illnesses and diseases

• A monthly epilepsy outreach program was started that serves approximately 200 individuals per month. Care is provided by psychiatric nurses, clinicians, and midwives. Free epilepsy medication and counseling is provided

• Epilepsy patients have learned to live positively with the disease and now that they are being treated, they are stronger and capable of performing their daily activities and even work to provide for their families again

• As a result of the Girl Power Program, class absenteeism has dropped and the girls have improved

their overall academic performance