HELLOOOOOO! 

I'm still here! 😁 Dozens of times I have sat down to catch you up and then something distracts me, or a meeting gets scheduled and I think "I should wait in case this turns into news", and then my aunt came to stay with me...and here we are. Weeks later. Better late than never? 

We are just on the cusp of fall here in the PNW and its Sunflower Season! I love this time of year. Now on to business...

Unfortunately, Rachel has yet to receive more machines or funding from DAK, although they have told her that they plan to. So, the October training has been cancelled. In the meantime, Seed Global Health reached out to Rachel about her midwifery program, and more specifically POCUS training.

Rachel is very optimistic that there is potential for partnership for both of us, so I sat in on a meeting with them last week. It was...interesting. They want training for 15 midwives, they want training to take place at LIRA University, and they are not at all interested in my 4-week curriculum or sending the midwives to the birth center. It was a very frustrating meeting for me. They were completely inflexible, insisting they want a 1-week training "bootcamp", and then we "mentor" the midwives while they work for 3 weeks. Rachel and Harriett did their best to convince them that our curriculum has proven to be successful, one-week trainings rarely works, and even asked them to speak with 2 of the Lira Midwife/Professors that completed my training in June. No-go. So, I offered to create a truncated curriculum for ROBUST scanning. This is part of my 4-week curriculum, which is a series of "sweeps" across the belly, allowing a fast assessment of fetal number, viability, fluid, and placenta location. I would do the week of lectures, then hopefully Rachel will be able to get Max and possibly Sister Georgina to mentor for the remaining weeks. Rachel has been negotiating the contract, so I am not counting on a lot of income, but I am hopeful that Seed will continue working with MHI. 

If this pans out, I will return to Uganda mid-October and spend a week of training and probably stop by the birth center for a few days. I'm trying to remember that "flexibility" is something I advertise on my website! And also, a big part of my success in this work I have been doing. We shall see. 

In other news, I have had a few meetings with QualCare Africa, and they have offered me a remote teaching position, teaching OB/GYN and possibly Ultrasound Physics to African Sonographers. We are in the early stages; I've signed an NDA so I can read through the lectures, then they will write a contract with my business. My first paying gig for my new business! 

This week I will have another meeting with the Coalition Coordinator for ACSI, the African Coalition for Social Impact. He is interested in learning more about WorldWise Ultrasound and a potential partnership. Here's their spiel from LinkedIn:

The Africa Coalition for Social Impact (ACSI) is a network of grassroots organizations working together to maximize the impact of community-led response and development action, scaling of impact and wholistic approach to development. ACSI members plan together, act together, and learn together to accelerate positive impact in the communities we serve. ACSI member organizations are Wezesha Impact, Peer Link Initiative Uganda, CEBUNA, AFFCAD, Teach for Uganda, Nyaka, Komo Learning Centres, Girl Up Initiative Uganda, St. Francis Health Services, Reach A Hand Uganda, Access Uganda, Nama Wellness Centre, Mukisa Foundation.

Zilla sent me these adorable photos of her crochet scarf and Sister Georgina is a baby hat machine. The yarn donations are greatly appreciated!

For more fun news, the week I returned from my last trip, I went out and bought myself a new sewing machine! In typical ADHD fashion, I have jumped into this hobby with enthusiasm, and I'm making clothes from the beautiful fabric I brought home from Uganda and Kenya!

My cool new pants made from Batik fabric bought in Gulu.

A top I made for my aunt, from Kenyan Kikoy fabric

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I love this unicycle fabric, bought in Gulu. 

If I do return to Uganda, I will bring more yarn (I still have 2 HUGE bags and a large bin full), and more blue towels...freshly stamped with my logo. 😁

You may remember that Ugandan customs suggested that I do so, and also get a letter from the birth center, in order to prove that I am not bringing the towels to Uganda to sell. I have put my aunt to work, and she has been stamping the towels for me. My aunt will fly home on Monday, and then I will work like a rented mule, sew some more cute stuff, and wait to hear from Rachel. So, there ya go! I think I have caught you up and I will leave you with a few of my favorite shots from Uganda. 

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Much love, Jo/MB