POSHU NEWSLETTER MAY 2016

Welcome to the second edition of the POSHU Newsletter. The aim of this newsletter is to raise greater awareness of the work POSHU is doing, to keep regular supporters informed and to outline how supporters (new and old) can help.

POSHU is an organisation founded by Australian woman, Susan Howe in 2009. POSHU works with women in rural, urban and remote areas of Uganda. It focuses on places where women are affected by HIV/AIDS, are Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and those whose lives, are impacted by violence and poverty. The project is funded from Susan’s own pocket, as well as the sale of beads and bags made in Uganda, and the generosity of POSHU’s many supporters in Australia and beyond.

POSHU today teaches English in 20 villages throughout the country, to groups of up to 50 women. It also teaches basic farming skills, mathematics and sewing, distributes vegetable seeds, and provides basic pharmacy and health resources. POSHU plays a supportive role within the local community, undertaking to provide small amounts of funding in areas where small amounts can have great returns for the community. POSHU is registered for fundraising in Victoria and as a Community based organisation in Uganda.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

POSHU Village Pharmacy Pilot up and running, supplying 4 basic medications to existing women’s groups.

In November and December of last year, Susan and her daughter, Jenni (general POSHU committee member), spent time in Uganda; visiting various POSHU groups, experiencing firsthand the difference that the POSHU classes are making in peoples’ lives.

5 new POSHU English Classes were established in 2015; 2 in Moroto, and 3 more in Soroti, Atutur and Kween, respectively. A new Sewing Class was also started in Soroti.

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

A brief update on one of POSHU’s latest initiatives.

Decades of rebellions, tribal disputes and disease outbreaks have had a serious impact on the health care facilities available to Ugandans living in the Kumi District. POSHU has worked at the village level with women in these communities, and the clear feedback from these groups was that both primary and preventative health care services are seriously lacking e.g. first aid, maternal and ante-natal services, HIV/Aids screening, hygiene, dental care, eye care and nutrition.

In December 2015 and April 2016, Red Cross First Aid Training for all POSHU teachers at Kumi Town and Jinja Town was held.