The work of Hope Clinic Lukuli has been to be the link between the community which needs a broad range of general health services, including those related to HIV and AIDS and the national government and its development partners. In addition to the development partners - The Global Fund, US Government PEPFAR, UK DfID, European Union and bilateral aid from member states - there are large foundations such as Bill & Melinda Gates, growing charities such as Until There is A Cure, companies and individual families, churches and groups of people willing to take action to help. These are all donors through financial grants or the supply of materials. They all have a role in helping the people of Uganda learn of their health choices and to then be able to access the health services or adopt the health practices they choose.

In providing the services since 2000, and HIV/AIDS services since accreditation in 2006, we have built a strong record of being a reliable implementer and a responsive, innovative partner. Our work with organisations which are based outside Lukuli, Makindye or even Uganda is a model we call 'Hosted Referrals'. We help the organisation or donor of funds to realise their objectives through delivering services or support to Lukuli, based at Hope Clinic Lukuli.

Being ready to serve and engaging with the community
The donors who helped us first, perhaps appropriately, were the Ministry of Health and Uganda's AIDS Information Centre (AIC). In the clinic's early years the maternity and fever management patients dominated our work. It was the AIC campaigns that people should be counselled and know their status and development of protocols for drugs to prevent mother to child transmission (PMTCT) that encouraged Hope Clinic to offer counselling and testing - first PMTCT, later VCT for all. Doctors Zainab Akol and Saul Onyango, then in charge of VCT and PMTCT respectively allowed us to access testing kits and Nevirapine to protect mothers and their babies from vertical infection. Dr Raymond at AIC sent teams to counsel at the clinic - hosting AIC staff, with AIC meeting the transport costs, beecame the model that removes the cost and other barriers that meant people weren't going to AIC's Mengo site.

The Straight Talk Foundation was key to our plans to engage with the community to encourage people to learn morer about HIV, what occurs in the counselling and testing, and what is available for them if they are HIV positive. Reducing miss-information and providing clear facts through the Straight Talk newspaper and the drama roadshow helped us expand our testing in 2004. It also spurred the clinic management to look into expanding the premises.

Designing and constructing Hope Clinic Lukuli's own medical centre
Donors wishing to support a community health organisation can most easily help through giving something they find cheap or easy but the recipient greatly values. People give their time - but for the new facility, Roofings Uganda gave steel, Hima gave cement, the Tile Centre gave tiles and basins, CTM provided plumbing fittings, Sadolin provided paint, Hwan Sung provided windows and the European Commission's embassy in Uganda provided all the interior doors. These donations, coupled with land granted by the Diocese of Namirembe and the remaining construction costs borne by Philip and Clare meant that a 2,000 sq foot centre could be built and open in July 2005.

The design was another donation, by Engineering Missionaries International (www.emiusa.org) and the perrsonal time and skills of Swanee Schwanz oversaw the brick by brick assembly of the new site. These donations, gave a base to which Rotary International, with the Rotary Clubs of Makindye and Cheltenham Cleeve Vale, could donate over US$20,000 of medical equipment and power back-up to allow us to serve the community.

Each of these 'donors' gave money, time or their products in the simplest manner and have all been satisfied with the use of that donation. Rotary has given two more grants since then and Sadolin paint helped when redocation was needed. Hope Clinic remains grateful to supporters who trust us and don't use complex grantee agreements.

HIV and AIDS Service Grants
As noted on the International Partners page, Hope Clinic Lukuli has to manage the various separate interventions that are made in Uganda in order that Lukuli and Makindye can access a complete range of services. Comprehensive community based HIV/AIDS services are the national goal - indeed the stated goal of most development partners in the sector - but we find that many awards are tied to narrow objectives. This requires Hope Clinic to manage multiple grants and donations, to ensure that funds are utilised for the intended objectives and that the provider of the fund is kept informed and has the reports they need. Some of these funders prefer to report our completion through a letters, some publicise through their company website and others encourage us to be featured in the media and to share our experiences. If you would like more information or examples of past an ongoing cooperation with donors, please look at the 'In the Media' link above left or email the Director