The U.S. and Uganda partnership between Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice headquartered in Marlton and Kawempe Home Care in Uganda shows how two organizations are supporting one another.
“In developing countries, the lack of resources within the healthcare system make accessing care extremely difficult,” said Global Partners in Care executive director John Mastrojohn. “The need for comprehensive compassionate care is overwhelming and through Global Partners in Care’s innovative partnership initiative, we are making strides in improving access and enhancing care, all while establishing a bond of friendship.”
Both organizations have greatly benefitted from the partnership because both have committed time, staff and other resources. In 2013, Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice sent nine staff and volunteers on a 15-day visit to their partner in Uganda to observe, teach and learn. Staff gave workshops on topics and visited their cultural centers to further understand the culture of their partner. Also, Samaritan recently hosted two staff members from Kawempe so they could experience their program and community.
Samaritan has also been very creative with their fundraising and raised $33,480 in one year. Their fundraising activities included special events such as Bowling for Kawempe Night, Bingo for Kawempe Night and Kawempe Week in which two local businesses donated a percentage of their sales to Kawempe Home Care.
In addition, Samaritan helps support their partner through the Samaritan “Bead Boutique” — a space where beads are sold at Samaritan headquarters — and “Beads-in-a-Box” pack-and-go plastic cases filled with beads that are sold at community fairs, churches, schools, and workplaces. The beads are directly from an entrepreneurial venture sponsored by Kawempe called Beads for Education. The recycled paper beads support school tuition and educational services for the children in their community. The “Beads-in-a-Box” effort raised $17,613 in one year.
“Our thriving partnership with Kawempe Home Care has been a source of mutual love, respect and gratitude. We are inspired by the ever- increasing level of service that our dear friends provide for the people in their community, even though their resources are so limited,” says Samaritan Vice President of Marketing and Public Affairs, Joanne Rosen.
Global Partners in Care’s innovative partnership initiative provides opportunities for U.S. hospice and palliative care organizations to make a commitment to support a hospice and palliative care organization in a developing country. A large percentage of the global need for palliative care is in low and middle income countries.
Global Partners in Care, an affiliate of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, has over 80 U.S. hospice and palliative care organizations/international partnerships. Each partnership is unique and engages in a variety of activities like capacity-building, strategic planning, education, fundraising, and technical assistance to expand and improve services for those in need.
At this time Global Partners in Care has several hospice and palliative care organizations in Africa and India waiting to be partnered with an organization in the U.S.
The Champion Program is another opportunity for an individual or organization to fund a specific, one-time cause to meet the pressing needs of a hospice and palliative care organization in a developing country.
To learn more about international partnership opportunities and other ways to support the organization, visit the Global Partners in Care website at www.globalpartnersincare.org.
