#peacecorpsuganda

World Malaria Day. Most days, you'll find me in the lab at the health center. It's the place where, after seeing one of our clinical officers, patients come for a variety of tests. I've seen TB smears, HIV tests, and even intestinal worms brought in for identification. But the majority of the cases we see are related to malaria. We go through hundreds of Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) a month to test for malaria, and every week, 60-80% of those cases are positive. Uganda isn't alone. With more than 200 million cases and about a half million deaths in 2016 alone, malaria remains one of the world's most infectious diseases. In the effort to eradicate malaria, my own work may be in prevention, but the other side, testing and proper treatment, are just as important to save lives and prevent drug resistance. Whether we wear a white coat or not, we each have a role to play. As I filled the lab registers and read RDT results today, I found myself grateful again for the work and commitment of my staff and the chance to work with some of my favorite people in the lab. #worldmalariaday #malaria #stompoutmalaria #RDT #lab #uganda #peacecorps #peacecorpsuganda

Today, LifeStitches Maracha graduated their first class of senior mothers. These 8 women have learned the ins and outs of tailoring and are ready to move out of the workshop to start their own businesses. Since joining the program, the women have been saving part of the money they earn for their own sewing machines. Each graduate has successfully saved the full amount for her machine and is going home with the equipment, skills, and certificate to continue her work and provide for her family. The event was made even more special for the group when the HIV Focal Person for the district and our district Woman Member of Parliament joined the ceremony, congratulated the mothers' success, and pledged their support to help the program grow and continue on. Soon, the program will be welcoming 10 new mothers to the program so that the cycle can begin again. #LifeStitches #maracha #HIV #tailor #womenempowerment #business #uganda #peacecorps #peacecorpsuganda

We love fighting Malaria and peace corps Uganda has been a partner in this cause. Let's make Uganda a malaria free country by joining hands together. #visituganda🇺🇬 #fightmalaria #peacecorpsuganda #rweteerasafaripark #cheapaccommodations (at Rweteera Safari Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CF5vQDqHQip/?igshid=un54tu411e4q

We love fighting malaria and Peace Corps Uganda has been our partner. #visituganda🇺🇬 and stay with us @ Rweteera Safari Park for best experience around Kibale forest and surrounding #craterlakes . #pearlofafrica #peacecorps #peacecorpsuganda #kibalenationalpark #rweteerasafaripark #kibaletours #kibaleforest #fightmalaria #visituganda🇺🇬 #pearlofafrica #traveltouganda #staysafe #cheapaccommodations #chimps #safari #responsibletravel https://www.instagram.com/p/CCryexSn_Ia/?igshid=18fkxea3ombxa

Wander often. Wonder always. #howiseepc #peacecorpsuganda (at Kayunga District) https://www.instagram.com/p/Br-31a3HDZ7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=czl9tmgypor2

1,173 days later and I'm not a PCV anymore! A lot of love, sweat, blood, buses, tears, giggles, and life lessons happened in the course of these three years playing out and thank you to everyone, human and canine, who played a role in making it all that it was. I got to dive deeper into understanding more about the world and more about myself - my passions, my character, my privilege. Nowww, after being told, "You were lost!" countless times in UG, I'm getting lost in India and Southern Africa for the next month or so. See y'all in April!✌🏽🌻🐶❤️🌍🌏 #yogatime #detoxtime #meditation #andmorebuses #peacecorpsuganda #howiseepc (at Vrindavan)

It's been over 8 years since I've sat at those high school desks in Center Point. The building is now new, the windows have shades that automatically roll down at the touch of a button, and most of the juniors and seniors look older than me. But I remember what it was like to be a student in my small town. What it was like to have guest speakers come into class. Until today, I never thought I would have the chance be one myself. I wasn't there to convince anyone to leave the country or recruit the next generation of Volunteers. Today, my goal was to show at least one student that there's a world out there bigger than our small town. That the value of volunteering, whether it's in Peace Corps or in our own neighborhood, allows you to discover passion, widen your world view, and develop empathy for people who may look different and come from different cultures and experiences. That growth and learning happen when you are UNcomfortable, so what are you doing to push your own boundaries? Thank you Mrs. James for letting me share my experience with you and your class throughout my time in Uganda as well as inviting me back today to talk with students. Thank you Mrs. Krukenberg for being my most enthusiastic "student" in the room. And thank you CPU for welcoming me home and allowing me to be the speaker I wish I could have heard when I was the one sitting in those desks. #cpu #peacecorps #thirdgoal #bringithome #uganda #peacecorpsuganda #volunteer

As I visit the field one more time before IST (In Service Training), I am reminiscing about my time here in Uganda so far. These past few months have been full of learning and listening. I have been trying to find where I fit into the organization in which I work. I have had a wonderful time watching how my organization flows and everything that goes on. My counterpart and many coworkers have helped me along the way and for that I am thankful. To all the questions, blank stares, and bathroom stops I thank them all. Here's to another 21 months of learning and new experiences! #howiseepc #sharetheworld #peacecorpsuganda #ugandaafrica (at Arua District)