The 7th Annual Okuyamba Fest took place July 31 – a little earlier than usual – and featured special guests from the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU). Country Director Rose Kiwanuka, Programmes Manager Mark Mwesiga, and Information & Communication Technology and Data Quality Officer Cynthia Kabagambe joined us at this year’s Okuyamba Fest. Guests were welcomed into the event by the sound of live African drums.
The theme of the evening was a celebration of 10 years of fruitful partnership between Center for Hospice Care (CHC), the Hospice Foundation and PCAU. The event, held at CHC’s Mishawaka campus, also included authentic African cuisine provided by a local chef, as well as a stunning performance by the dance troupe Uzima. The more than 175 people in attendance experienced an event they will not soon forget.
“Our partnership with PCAU is very meaningful to us on multiple levels,” said Mark Murray, President/CEO of CHC and the Hospice Foundation. “We have learned so much from each other over the years, and it is gratifying to be so closely aligned with an organization dedicated to improving the lives of those in their community.”
Center for Hospice Care (CHC) and the Hospice Foundation (HF) have had a partnership with PCAU through Global Partners in Care. From the beginning, the union among the organizations has been beneficial, allowing everyone involved to share best practices on improving access to hospice and palliative care in low-resource countries.
“It all started in 2008 when we were partnered with Center for Hospice Care. We owe a big thank you to Mark Murray for buying into our vision,” said Rose Kiwanuka, Country Director for PCAU. “The partnership has made PCAU visible, and it is the most successful partnership I’ve seen globally. We have learned from each other and become brothers and sisters.”
This event was also a fundraiser for PCAU and specifically for the Road to Hope Program that provides support to orphaned Ugandan child caregivers who were the primary caregivers for their dying parents or guardians. To help make the fundraiser more efficient, the Hospice Foundation worked with GiveGrove, a local company specializing in online auctions. In addition to a successful auction, two children were sponsored in the Road to Hope program.
For more information on our partnership with PCAU, please contact HF’s International Programs Coordinator Denis Kidde at 574.277.4860 or KiddeD@cfhcare.org.