We are raising funds for the following projects. The first two are ongoing projects. 

1. Dr Ray Towey’s work

Dr Towey has volunteered at St Mary’s Hospital Lacor, Gulu, Uganda since 2002 (part time since 2008). He had previously been in Tanzania for 8 years. St Mary’s is a not for profit, church supported, general hospital of 476 beds in northern Uganda which is a very deprived post conflict zone. 

Since 2002 Dr Towey has been involved in the training of anaesthetic officers, nurses, and medical students. He is now a part time volunteer and is focusing in the development of the intensive care ward.

African Mission has assisted Dr. Towey in his work at St. Mary’s Hospital which has not only enabled him to give effective care to some of the poorest patients in the world in the field of anaesthesia and intensive care but also enabled him to carry out peer reviewed published research which will give inspiration to current and future health workers in sub-Saharan Africa. Please see below.

St Mary’s is a not for profit, church supported, general hospital of 476 beds in northern Uganda. For many years it has had a small four-bed Intensive Care Unit near the operating theatre, which was upgraded to an eight-bed unit in 2005. It is a teaching hospital for anaesthetists, medical students, nurses and laboratory technicians and it is attached to Gulu University Medical School. The majority of the patients are the rural poor and can come from remote areas up to 100 miles away from Gulu.

Dr Towey’s special interest is to provide sustainable and affordable intensive care to the poorest patients in rural Uganda. His research (published in a major peer reviewed journal, Anaesthesia) has demonstrated that even in remote rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa a modified form of intensive care is not only possible and sustainable but is both affordable and life saving and can be made accessible to the poorest of society. Find out more in this the peer-reviewed paper (pdf).

In 2021 Dr Towey was one of 269 global clinical experts who contributed to a research paper looking at Essential Emergency and Critical Care. The findings of this research can be found by clicking HERE.  

If you would like to hear Dr Towey talkng about his work please click HERE

2. Education for disabled young people, Fatima Mission, Zimbabwe

Fatima Mission is a very large mission (900 sq kms in size) based in rural Zimbabwe. The majority of those living within its boundaries are poor subsistence farmers reliant on Maize, Chomolia (a green vegetable) and a few cows, goats or chickens as their only source of food. The mission is run by a Franciscan Catholic priest and a Franciscan Sister. The priest in overall charge is Fr Jeya who has been at the mission since March 2005. It has a church, a pastoral centre, a number of primary and secondary schools, a clinic and a project for disabled children within its boundaries.

A particularly vulnerable group living within Fatima Mission are those who are disabled (blind, deaf or mute) and Fr Jeya was particularly anxious that they should be given the opportunity of an education. 17 disabled young people and 2 blind adults live at the pastoral centre during term time and attend a nearby school (with the exception of one who attends a different school). The school is the only school in the province offering a specific education for blind and mute children. Above is a photo of some of the children at school. In addition to their academic education they also learn skills to help them live and prosper with their disabilities. Before coming to Fatima many of these children led very isolated lives and were faced with a bleak future. Thanks to the educating they are receiving and the fact that they are living in community with others, their confidence and ability to relate with others is growing.

Of the 17 young people, 10 have hearing impairments, 6 are visually impaired and 1 is physically handicapped. Many of the children were being looked after by a single parent or a relative, many of whom who are in poor health and living in poverty. It costs £510 per year to cover the school fees and living costs for each child.

Due to the success of this project, Fr Jeya intends to increase the number of disabled young people benefiting from it. It is his intention to make it a permanent project so that all of the disabled young people living within Fatima Mission’s boundaries have the opportunity of an education.

Latest news from Fr Jeya HERE

3. Fatima Mission projects x 3 

We are hoping to fund the following three projects (in order of priority)

1. Computer equipment for the computer room in the new activities centre                                    Costs = US$10,800
2. Equipment for the music room in the new activities centre                                                              Costs = US$5,641
3. Furniture for the library in the new activities centre                                                                          Costs = US$7,600

To see part one of a short video (1 min 37 seconds) on the activities centre please click HERE. To see the second part (1 min 37 seconds) showing the library and computer rooms please click HERE {Click anywhere on the video to start it}

A full breakdown of the costs of the three Fatima Mission projects can be found HERE