SAFE Intern Julia Chang Working on "Health in Your Hands"

This summer, SAFE partnered with a Stanford-based group of undergraduate and graduate students to conduct a feasability study for a new project called "Health in Your Hands," in which rural men and women would be able to access maternal health education by calling a toll free cell phone line that would contain pre-recorded short educational stories about subjects community members had identified as being important. In the photo below, SAFE intern Julia Chang (student from the Stanford group) is working with journalist Serena to record the first trial lessons, which will be tested this coming week with rural men's and women's groups. We are so proud of all that Julia has been able to accomplish, and look forward to exploring a pilot of this program later this fall or next spring!

SAFE's Stellar Staff Week 2: Katherine Meese

Today is the second installment of our new blog series called "SAFE's Stellar Staff," in which SAFE features a current staff member (paid or volunteer) and the ways that they contribute to SAFE and, more importantly, improving the lives of women and children. This week, we are featuring the SAFE International Operations Director, Katherine Meese!

Katherine joined the SAFE team as an International Practicum Student in the summer of 2011. During her practicum, she conducted a feasability study and wrote an implementation plan for the solar project that SAFE now runs, Light the Night. Katherine was such a wonderful person to work with, and enjoyed her experience with SAFE so much, that she accepted the U.S.-based position of International Operations Director upon her return. In this role, Katherine works with the SAFE President and Vice President to manage all international operations and staff, and helps to make key programming decisions. To this position, she brings passion for maternal health, enthusiasm for the work that SAFE undertakes, and key skills in human resources management, financial analysis and planning, and international global health programming. In July 2012, Katherine also accepted a position on SAFE's Board of Directors, which was extended to her because of the incredible work she has done to help SAFE grow over the last year.

Katherine is married to her best friend, Mac, and lives in the Houston, Texas area. She graduated with a BBA in Finance from Texas A and M in 2007, and a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management from the University of Texas in 2012. Katherine now works as a Project Specialist for The Methodist Hospital System (Methodist International).

We are thrilled to have Katherine and all of her experience as part of the SAFE team!

SAFE Practicum Reflection: Haseena Sahib

Meet Haseena, one of Safe Mothers, Safe Babies' lovely interns who returned from Uganda this month having learned a great deal and contributed hugely to SAFE's projects!

Thank you for sharing your experience, Haseena!

A Short Reflection of My Practicum Experience 

Haseena Sahib

Haseena with women at the Lubira Health Clinic

“Jambo! Jambo!” The children scream excitedly as we ride past Busesa, the town between our home in Ibulanku and our destination Kalalu. The children leap from their seats on the grass near their homes; clearly unafraid to run toward the boda boda motor bikes. Their hands wave repetitively and hurriedly, expressing exactly how their hearts must be beating with joy. Their perennial, wide smiles never fail to charm us interns. One experience at this kind of reception is enough to wipe away any trace of sadness or homesickness. We wave back at them and smile as the wind whips our hair and clothes. The scenery of green fields, maize fields, and eucalyptus trees are so enrapturing to us that we can’t help but enjoy every boda boda ride, which, fortunately, happened almost every day. 

This experience was one of the most memorable of all during my time spent in Uganda. The positive energy and generosity of the people in Iganga is incredibly contagious. I felt this energy thriving in all the community groups, including the newest: Butende Women’s Group. They were eager to work, absorb skills, spread knowledge, and thus improve their community. The only challenge I noticed was when this enthusiasm would falter, usually due to the lack of money/resources or the push of encouragement and presence from the SAFE interns. 

The first meeting in Kalalu that we attended was extremely enlightening. Because I did not understand the Igangan native language Lusoga, I was forced to focus on and interpret body and facial language. Through this I realized the crucial importance of developing language skills in public health. However, Medie was an excellent translator. Through him I was able to converse with many of the members of the community groups. During meetings like these my fellow interns and I had the opportunity to plan and improve SAFE projects such as the SAFE Mama Kit and G-Nut Nutrition programs. All of the community groups are eager to develop sustainable gardens (passion fruit or g-nut) in order to fund these outreach programs. 

Dancing and dramas at the Lubira Health Fair

Another memorable aspect of my practicum experience was observing the dramas and song and dance performances that many community members utilize to teach maternal health. It is an innovative teaching method that replaces the standard first world method of conveying knowledge (television, newspapers, radio) that most do not have access to in the rural areas of Iganga. Julia Chang and I actually got a chance to dance with one women’s group when they were rehearsing deep in the woods away from Lubira Health Clinic. I knew that that was my golden opportunity to dance since the trees were blocking us from the rest of the community members! That was definitely an exhilarating moment! 

I think the highlight of my entire practicum experience was the day of the huge fair SAFE helped to organize in order to celebrate the installation of the new solar suitcase that SAFE & We Care Solar brought to the Lubira Health Clinic. It was an honor to meet the founder (Laura) of We Care Solar, her husband, Hal, and her daughter. Laura is an inspiration to me because she is an Ob-Gyn medical doctor from the USA who dedicates a lot of time to teaching others on how to use the solar suitcase effectively. Hal is also inspirational—I think he was a huge contributor to the actual design of the solar suitcase itself. Before the fair started, Hal and Medie installed the suitcase in the clinic while Laura taught many of the clinic staff and some community members on how to operate it. Once the program of the fair began, there were plenty of dramas, songs, socializing, and bonding between SAFE, We Care Solar, and the Igangan community. Overall, my experience with SAFE and the Igangan community was refreshing, humbling, and immensely gratifying. I will not hesitate to support this community and SAFE in the future. I will also never forget the genuine smiles and generous hearts of the Igangans. I am proud to have discovered a home away from home in Uganda. =)

SAFE's Stellar Staff Week 1: Mukalu Medie

Today, we're starting a new blog series called "SAFE's Stellar Staff," in which at least once per week, SAFE will feature a current staff member (paid or volunteer) and the ways that they contribute to SAFE and, more importantly, improving the lives of women and children. This week, we are featuring the SAFE Program Manager, Mukalu Medie!

Medie has been working with Safe Mothers, Safe Babies since it was known as its predecessor, the Vassar Uganda Project. He started out as a volunteer translator, and did such wonderful work that we hired him full time in 2010! Since then, Medie has become an integral part of making the SAFE program work at the village level. He helps to implement all SAFE projects, and plays a big role in working with interns and program partners on all project activities. He is also a fierce, passionate advocate for maternal and child health, and community development in general.

In his free time, Medie serves as a Board Member at Large for an Iganga-based nonprofit with which SAFE has worked on various projects, the Uganda Village Project. He is also an active participant in Rotary International. Medie is planning on pursuing a Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health through Uganda Christian University in 2013.

So happy to have Mukalu Medie as our Program Manager!

Passion Fruit and Maternal Health: Organic Farming Project Success!

In the summer of 2011, Do Something.org  funded a $500 seed grant for SAFE, with which SAFE convened an organic farming project for five community groups. These groups felt that the farming project was important because selling produce from their farms funds their reproductive health outreach activities, and because the passion fruit that they would plant would improve local nutrition for mothers and babies. This summer, the crop is being harvested, and selling it will help the groups provide vital education and services to their communities over the next six months! Check out these plump passion fruits, and the proud faces of their growers showing them off with SAFE 2012 intern, Haseena Sahib (from Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health). This moment = priceless!

Wrapping Up the Summer

The SAFE interns and practicum students accomplished some truly incredible work this summer. They evaluated the eRanger program to help SAFE grow its impact; they conducted a feasability study for a community-requested nutrition program; they completed the last step in a year-long passion fruit farming project; they launched a completely new Photo Voice project; they conducted a 3 month evaluation of the Light the Night program; they worked with a civil society organization to launch the Safe Mama Kits business; they conducted an assessment of, and preparatory launch activities for, a maternal health savings scheme called "Save for Safe Delivery"; and they conducted general data and evaluation activities to explore new partnerships. 

And now, the summer is coming to an end. We still have one intern--Julia Chang--from Stanford, conducting a feasability assessment to explore launching a mobile-phone-based maternal health education system in partnership with a new Stanford-founded organization called "Health in Your Hands." But after her last two weeks are up, the SAFE summer will be complete. 

18 interns (representing five schools--University of Texas, Brigham Young University, Jefferson Medical College, Columbia, and Stanford), 2 Advisory Board member visits, and 6 visitors helping with various projects = very successful summer. Thank you to all who have been involved, and to all our staff who made it possible and will continue the vital work of improving the lives of women and children throughout the year!

Interns from the University of Texas and Brigham Young University eating jackfruit earlier this summer.

Fabulous Interns!

Below, SAFE intern from Brigham Young University, walks with a group of women holding a small infant. The BYU interns (Hayley, Rachel, and Ashley) worked with SAFE and WE CARE Solar to evaluate the Solar Suitcase lighting project. More about the results soon!!

Maternal Health Drama

Picture from one of the dramas that a SAFE-partnered community groups wrote and performs. What a great way to educate communities about the importance of family planning!!

Vote for Photo Voice Again--This Time for $1,000!

Safe Mothers, Safe Babies' Photo Voice project has made it through another competition to the semi-final round! You can help us get $1,000 to scale up our work with Ugandan women and men to improve maternal and child health, just be voting. Please vote, and feel free to invite others to do the same!

http://purpose.maker.good.is/projects/PhotoVoice

Photo Credit: Serena Rodriguez

SAFE's CEO, Jacquie Cutts, Featured in the Emerging Innovator Campaign!

An interview with SAFE's Founding President and CEO, Jacquie Cutts, regarding social entrepreneurship and the founding of Safe Mothers, Safe Babies is featured this week on the American Express Emerging Innovator platform at Ashoka Changemakers! Check it out to learn more about SAFE, our legacy, and social innovations in general!

http://pulse.changemakers.com/campaigns/social-investment/2012/04/american-express/#/social-investment/2012/08/an-alternative-participation-based-approach-was-possible/

Vote for SAFE's Photo Voice Project!

We've entered SAFE's Photo Voice project in an Echoing Green mini-grant competition. The winner gets $500 towards their idea, intended to improve the organizations' understanding of those they serve. SAFE would use the money to allow more Ugandan women and men to share their own perspective of maternal and child health, related problems and current/potential solutions, all through photography. After the community photographers took the pictures, we would continue our 2012 initiative hosting photo exhibitions to promote community dialogue about maternal and child health, and to learn more about their perspective towards continuing our defining methodology of demand-driven, participatory development.

PLEASE, go vote for SAFE! Your voice matters, and you can make a difference in helping us to empower additional communities:

http://workonpurpose.echoinggreen.org/questions/4ffddbf24c41b00aee00020a/answers/501b17804c41b00338000104