Hello everyone! 

We hope you have had a lovely summer, and are excited to announce that we successfully traveled to Mpoma in July! This would not have been possible without your support, and we cannot express enough how grateful we are! Thank you so much!

Staying at the Johnson Nkosi Memorial Primary School and Mpoma Community HIV/AIDS Initiative HQ, Vyvy, Ava, and I (Rose) completed our goals, connecting with students, teachers, partners, and the community along the way. We progressed the Sanitary Pad Project through surveys and education, working alongside virtual interns and teachers. We also began creating Grow Corner, a room that will serve as a wellness and emotional support space, as well as an ICT center where community members and students can gain technology skills. We also toured villages and schools that benefit from our WASH borehole program. We also exceeded our goals, connecting with community members to give back further. Please find more information in the slide deck attached here! If you have any other questions, or would just like to chat and learn more about our trip, feel free to contact me, or the other interns, at rosesakura@ucla.edu. 

We have also attached a short video summarizing our trip. The video is attached below and can also be found here. The wonderful Ava also made a longer video with more information from our trip, which can be found here. It is a delight to watch! 

Once again, thank you so much. This trip was an amazing experience, not only helping Globemed at UCLA but also the rural communities surrounding Mukono, Uganda. Your support has helped improve global health and create global connections for years to come. 

Sincerely,

Rose Anderson (2023 Grow Coordinator) and the Grow Team