Kasese District is located in Western Uganda. After the last counting the population of Kasese was 757 259. The district consists of 20 rural and four urban sub regions. There are 115 villages and 656 smaller villages in the district. The Sub counties Bugoye and Maliba, which are our areas, are located at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains. The area lacks infrastructure, the families are poor and have many children, and it is not unusual that a family has 12 or more children. Children of Rwenzori chose this area based on the knowledge that the area really needs assistance in terms of reproductive health. The need for a local health center is great. Births not only mean a risk for the baby, but also for the mother.
WHO estimated that in the developing countries as a whole, the number of maternal deaths in sub-Saharan countries would be 108 per 100,000 live-born children by 2015. The Goal has not been reached in Kasese, where the number today is 121 per 100,000 living born children. Only 34 percent of pregnant women in Kasese district seek qualified help today, which in turn poses a great risk for both mother and child.
The area has not been prioritized by Uganda’s health authorities due to its location. A large part of the population lives in difficult accessible mountain areas, many are illiterate and poor. This is also reflected in statistics which indicate that the number of children per woman in the Kasese district is 8.8 children, while the average number in the country is 5.6.
HIV/AIDS is a growing problem in this area. Since sick people are no longer to be seen and it is possible to live taking medicine, especially the youth is more careless. The authorities are worried and say that every day, more than 50 girls between 14 and 24 years are infected in Uganda. Children of Rwenzori will try to stop the trend and invite to meetings about HIV/AIDS prevention in our educational pavilion.