72km North

72km north of a town called Lira lies a clinic - The Kristina Health Clinic. What should be an hour drive is drawn out to 2 as you navigate the potholes and rocks along the bumpy red dirt road. Rows of sunflowers and mudhuts here and there catch your eye, the window provides an insight into a world unknown.

The clinic comes into sight; three stand alone buildings offering hope through basic medical services. The mango tree provides shelter from the blazing Ugandan sun as mothers to be wander the grounds, anticipating the arrival of another family member. The ambulance parked onsite is on call for emergencies, ready to travel along that red road which you came.

It is peaceful.

We are incredibly proud of the Kristina Health Centre.

Opened in 2012, the centre was a dream of co-founder Julius Achon. His mother died from a gunshot wound in 2004. The clinic now stands in the village where this happened. Had she access to basic medical care, Kristina would have survived.

Monthly reports depict a centre that cares for hundreds a month. Whether maternity related, immunisations, dental care or general medical care, the KHC sees over 600 patients walk through the doors each month. 600 lives offered a better chance of life.

As the case with every great project, the question "How do we move forward?" arose. Being in remote, rural northern Uganda, there was no shortage of answers to that question. Need presents itself left, right and centre.

Reviews of monthly reports and extensive discussions with the Love Mercy team on the ground drew us to the conclusion that, without doubt, the need lay greatest with Maternity services. If we could offer women the option of a safe place to bring their child into the world, the impact would last for generations. Women were walking hours (often IN labour) to the clinic to receive care. Our ultimate goal became to offer the best maternity care in the district.

We decided to send an Australian qualified midwife to stay in Lira and work at the clinic for a few months. It would provide insight and generate ideas that would result in the most progress and helpful developments.


Kristy. Kristy is a midwife who works at Wollongong Hospital an hour from Sydney. She volunteered her time and skills at the KHC from November 2017 through February 2018. Working alongside the midwives, Kristy helped to develop and implement procedures and policies. She offered further training and recommendations as to what needed improvement, and stood along our midwives and supported them in their roles.

So. What is giving birth in Uganda actually like?

In most clinics, it is common practice during childbirth for a midwife to hit the labouring mother. It is a way of 'encouraging' a labouring woman to continue pushing.

Midwives at KHC do not engage with this practice in any instance. As a result, it is often the deciding factor when a woman considers whether or not to go to a clinic.

At other clinics, it is common for midwives to request and take bribes for essential or 'extra' care. An example would be a midwife refusing to help a labouring woman as she begins pushing unless her family hands over money. This practice is strictly banned at the Kristina Clinic.

These things make the already tough process of childbirth more complicated.

The committed midwives might manually bag a baby in respiratory distress for over three hours, determined to help them survive.

With Kristy's insight, we are able to move forward in building a complete stand alone maternity ward. Fully solar powered, and able to handle emergency situations, the ward will provide care that many clinics throughout Uganda simply cannot.

Kristy's presence on the ground was encouraging for our staff. She was able collaborate with the midwives, helping them to design and implement procedures and education where required. They felt supported and valued.

The work that she accomplished has gone toward saving the lives of many mothers and babies.

We are working toward this stand along maternity clinic. It will provide so many women with the option of a safe birth, and will save their lives during childbirth.

If you would like to be involved, head to our website www.lovemercyfoundation.org for more information.