The much awaited Nurses Day at Kagando Hospital was held in October. This event is generally celebrated in May to coincide with International Nurses Day, but this year the hospital was celebrating its 50th anniversary, so it was held in October.
The day was eagerly anticipated amidst lots of planning and excited build up…I know this because I had the privilege of being part of it, however, many a year it’s not been celebrated due to lack of funds.
On the first meeting I listened to their excited chatter of how the day would take shape: first a thanksgiving service in the hospital chapel, followed by a nurses’ march through the village accompanied by the band, stopping at Kisinga Sub County HQ to be welcomed by the Local Council Chief (LC3), then back to the hospital for lunch, speeches, games and awards.
And so it happened, a wonderful happy, happy day.

However, in the initial planning there was great discussion about the cost of the day and how much each nurse could afford to contribute and how big a contribution to ask from the hospital, Nursing School, etc. The nurses knew that some colleagues would be unable to afford the money (depending on grade between 5,000 UGX = £1 to 20,000 UGX=£4) - but the key part of the discussion was how the day would pan out. However, what they oh so desperately wanted was an outing. A day where they would go for a picnic, away from the hospital, away from their community, play games, have fun, and fellowship, but they knew the cost implications would be unattainable; regardless many nurses would have had to stay behind to care for the patients. Who would stay and care for the sick and who would go? It was just not a viable option.
Amidst the planning chatter, one nurse turned to me and said: “Some of us were born in these villages, did our nurse training here, live in this community and every day we come to work, and help the sick and the dying; everyday people die. Then we go home to our own challenges. We dream of a day out.
Not much to ask…

My plan: with your help to give them that day out. In practice it would mean having two separate outings so the hospital would be covered, 60 nurses per trip.
My dream: well, to take them to Queen Elizabeth Park, and the ultimate …for them to experience the two hour safari boat ride. Many nurses have never even stepped into the park, never seen an elephant or a hippo, a crocodile or a warthog…and yet the vast safari park is only an hour away.

Please consider sharing this and if you can, please donate via the Just Giving page. No matter how small the donation is, no matter how long it will take to reach this goal, you would have helped to make one nurse’s wish, one simple dream, happen.
if donations surpass our expectations then the whole hospital could benefit…another dream?!