Livelihoods
and Incomes Among The Community
The
populations of Lukuli and the adjoining parishes which
rely on the Hope Clinic is very mixed. Large old houses
and recent development of land held for generations by
Ugandans living elsewhere sit alongside simple mud-brick
dwellings. Despite Universal Primary Education, households
still rely on children to collect water from public springs,
or to tend the vegetable staff. When the clinic began
in 2000, consultations were charged at Shs 1,000, equivalent
to a very basic meal from a roadside stall (and 30p or
50 US cents). This price of a meal gives a perspective
to life.
Calculating
in 'meals' - malaria treatment from a private clinic costs
12-15 meals. A mosquito net costs 15 meals, a matatu minibus
to town costs 2 meals, a syrup for fevers costs 3-5 meals.
Rent of one room in 2011 now costs at least Shs 40,000
a month. A 'stack' of tomatoes, bought at the roadside
brings Shs 3,000 to the household, but their smallholding
of land yields only so many stacks a month. Travelling
to a health centre, paying for drugs at a private drug
shop - without diagnosing what is needed first - all reduce
the available cash for health services. In the past 5-10
years that mobile phone usage exploded in Uganda, the
smallest recharge card was worth Shs 5,000 and beer makers
noted drinks sales declining as money was used on phone
calls. Pressure on households means recharges now are
for as little as Shs 100. In 2011, price inflation is
above 20% for basic foodstuffs, and rent.
 |
 |
 |
| As the village
grows, bricks mean income |
Families rely on farming smallholdings |
Mobile phones, juices or health |
In
2011, our challenge remains to bring the services that
the community need to within their reach. That means near
their physical homes, at a price they can afford, with
loudspeakers for presentations at market places of ways
to protect a household from diarrhoea or fevers or to
plan pregnancies. Child immunisation is essential, mobilising
pregnant women for care including prevention of malaria
means walking the streets and speaking to people who can
influence their friends. These services cannot be sold
to the community, they need sponsoring by people who donate
to Hope Clinic Lukuli. The basic meal in 2011 now costs
Shs 2,000 - even less cash is left for healthcare.
