Doreen
Doreen is NOTDEC Uganda's nurse, appointed in early 2015. She is a fully-qualified and experienced paediatric nurse in a senior position at Kagando Hospital. She works at NOTDEC Kabirizi for two part days each week — allowing her to examine any children on-site that she is concerned about, and to intervene before any serious problems develop. She cannot visit children living off-site with their wider families.
Longer term, the aim is for the house-mothers to become Doreen's eyes and ears, bringing to her attention the kinds of things they know she may want to check out about on which they need her advice. Week by week, therefore, she works with the house-mothers, getting over to them what they need to know and do to play their full part in improving the health and well-being of all the children.
Health education of this kind is always a slow process, involving subtle changes to cultural attitudes and patterns of behaviour. So it is a real bonus that Doreen is a Ugandan from the local area, not some European trying to lay down the law! Health education of this kind is also a team game. And with her experience at Kagando, Doreen certainly knows it's worth the effort.