Kitgum Town

Kitgum Town
Kitgum Town

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Brainstorming ideas on income generation

we are using some green hat thinking here, exploring ways to improve our income generation.
We have a rented shop which is functioning as  a pharmacy and the Yotkom Office.
As a result of our work with DAYS for GIRLS, we have purchased a sewing machine and employed Rhoda to sew the materials necessary to produce Days for Girls sanitary products. We hope to sell a pack for 12000 shillings, which is about $5 Australian.

This pack provides protection for young women and school students and can be used and reused for a period of up to 3 years. The alternative is to buy disposable items . These cost the same amount but only last 3 months, so the DFG products make sound economic sense. We hope to make small profits but also use our facility to make the free packs which are given out as part of our school teaching program.
We are also talking to an African artist who might brighten up our shop and sell more of his artwork..We will take a small commission for sales. His name is Joshua and he is going to paint an African   DFG  logo for our shop wall.

The Nurse assistants who staff the pharmacy are also keen, when not busy,  to learn to make necklaces which we sell in Australia to help raise funds.
The team here are very enthusiastic.
Andrew is enjoying opportunities to network with other health professionals here.
Dr Aniel Cherian is the director of a training school for South Sudan Clinical Officers. The school is sponsored by the International Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship. He travelled the 10 hour bus trip from Kampala and stayed with Andrew for2  nights. He is planning to bring the trainee Doctors to Kitgum and will develop a partnership with Yotkom and St Josephs Hospital in order to give them a wide range of valuable supervised experience.

Before he left , Pat Holdsworth was able to give some valuable medical equipment to St Josephs Hospital and the Yotkom/Bregma Clinic. The equipment will facilitate training and the care of emergencies such as cardiac arrest , fractures and spinal injuries. Pat is planning to return in 2015 to follow up on is work.

A container is coming with more medical supplies in about one months time thanks to the generosity of the Mater Hospital Brisbane and the hard work of Graham Carter.
On Friday, Andrew is teaching at the medical grand rounds at St Josephs Hospital on the topic of Acute Asthma.