On the Road From Mbale to Masaka: Partnerships and Progress
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An update from Mildmay’s CEO, Geoff Coleman
This is the final instalment of my Mzungu blog from Uganda, and my apologies for the delay in posting. partnerships
The last few days of the visit were full, rewarding, and at times exhausting, but they offered exactly the kind of progress and perspective that make these trips so important.
On Tuesday evening, we arrived back at the hotel well into the night. After a quick meal and a debrief with the team, we headed straight to bed, knowing that the following day, while still busy, would be slightly less intense.
Wednesday began early for me, joining the Mildmay Uganda team for a meeting with a potential partner interested in project-managing our first planned site in Mbale. It was a constructive and encouraging discussion, and one that helped bring some of our early plans into sharper focus. From there, we headed over to the hospital, while the rest of the team was given a detailed tour of the facilities and the wide range of services being delivered.
We regrouped for lunch before holding our second Programme Board meeting in the afternoon. The meeting went extremely well. Our Programme Chair, Peter, was unfortunately unwell, an occupational hazard of travelling in Africa, where it’s not uncommon to pick up a bug, so he joined us by Zoom from the hotel and handed the chairing duties to Naggib. Despite that, the discussion was focused and productive, and we ended the day feeling positive about the direction of travel. That evening was mercifully calm, as we prepared for another day on the road.
On Thursday, we collected the Mildmay Uganda team and travelled on to Mbarara, where we were warmly welcomed by our partners at Wellspring Children’s Medical Centre. After lunch and a tour of their facilities, the group split: the UK clinicians stayed on to work alongside Wellspring staff, while Naggib and I continued with the Uganda team on to Masaka.
We arrived late that evening, too late to visit a potential site for our second project, and so
settled in for the night. The following morning, we set off early to view a plot of land owned by Mildmay Uganda. We were struck by how suitable it is for the development of our second health facility (after Mbale). Importantly, it adjoins land owned by the Palliative Care Association of Uganda, opening up the real possibility of a complementary hospice, a powerful example of how partnership and proximity can strengthen care.
We then continued into Masaka to rejoin the rest of the UK team at Noeline’s Children Centre, a place that is always a joy to visit. The work being done there is extraordinary, and if you’d like a fuller picture of their impact, I’d strongly encourage you to explore their work further.
After lunch, we made our way back to Kampala, except for Pauline, who was looking
forward to a meeting with the Bishop later that evening. The rest of us reached the hotel just before 8pm and decided, collectively, to eat out at a nearby restaurant rather than in the hotel. It turned out to be an excellent decision, not least because it’s not every day you can enjoy a meal for four for around £35.
As I write this, I’m preparing to leave for Entebbe Airport. Pauline is racing from Masaka to join us, hopefully before check-in. We then face the familiar thirteen-hour journey home via Doha, where the team will disperse: two to Manchester, one to London, and one to Berlin.
This visit has been demanding, but it has also been deeply encouraging. The strength of our local partnerships, the leadership of the Mildmay Uganda team, and the very real progress being made towards future services all reinforce why this work matters - and why your support is so vital.
Geoff Coleman
Chief Executive Officer
Support Mildmay this winter
As we look ahead to the next stage of Mildmay’s work in Uganda, from planning new facilities to strengthening partnerships and services, we are reminded that none of this happens without the generosity of our supporters.
If you are able, please consider supporting Mildmay’s Winter Appeal. Your gift will help us continue building sustainable, locally led healthcare services for people living with HIV and other complex conditions, both in the UK and internationally.
Together, we can turn careful planning into lasting impact.
Thank you for being part of the Mildmay story.
Mzungu, also known as muzungu, mlungu, musungu or musongo, is a Bantu word that means "wanderer" originally of spirits. The term is currently used in predominantly Swahili-speaking nations to refer to foreign people, dating back to the 18th century. The noun Mzungu or its variants are used in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Comoros, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mayotte, Zambia and in Northern Madagascar (the word changed to "vozongo" in Malagasy, but locals will still understand the word mzungu), dating back to the 18th century.