Increasing access to quality health care and treatment to fisher folk in Kalangala

The fishing communities of Kalangala district on reside in a hard-to-reach area that, as of 2017 had an HIV prevalence rate of 27%, higher than the national prevalence rate of 7.2%. SDI facilitates the community’s access to HIV and TB services at health facilities on Bufumira Island, where it is based and surrounding islands. Bufumira Island is a thirty-minute boat ride from the main island of Bugala. Outreaches sensitise and mobilise the communities on the islands and enroll patients into care as well as share HIV prevention measures.

In order to better serve this critical need for the vulnerable fishing communities, The Ugandan Academy has focused on ensuring that this community-based organisation is well equipped to carry out this project. At six months’ capacity building phase SDI was seen to strengthen its organisational capacity in the areas of financial management, human resource management, monitoring and evaluation and grants management. Additionally, with Academy support, SDI is now equipped with a boat, engines, office space, furniture and Internet connection.