Case studies

13 Dec 2017 Case studies, volunteers health, Impact Day, Personal Development, uganda 0

Health Impact Day: Promoting Healthy Habits in Uganda

As part of our placement with Challenges Worldwide, each volunteer is a member of a committee, with a choice between communications, team building and impact. Our day-to-day purpose during the placement is supporting the growth and development of local businesses. Challenges recognises an opportunity to provide time to give back to other areas within the community, which is where our impact committees come into play. Split into two; Health and Education. As a member of the comms committee, I was given the privilege to attend the Health Impact Day, which was an insightful and accomplished event. I hope to share that experience with you as best I can.

After weeks of planning and preparation, the time had finally arrived for the Health Impact Day. There was a buzz of anticipation amongst the group as we gathered in the early hours in Ntinda. We picked up two representatives from Days for Girls, the charity we are supporting, to help us run the health sessions.

Days for Girls are dedicated to creating a more free, dignified and educated world, through providing lasting access to feminine hygiene solutions and health education. Being a taboo subject within Uganda, this charity wants to educate girls and boys alike about hygiene and menstrual health.

A short while later we had arrived at Central View school and set up a room to prepare for the sessions. The day was split into two parts. The first part was with both boys and girls with ages ranging from 13 to 16 and the second half with just the girls.

After an introduction about Challenges from Keebs and Annabell, session number one was on the importance of hygiene and staying healthy. Araphat and Alex led the demonstrations on hand washing followed by discussions on when to wash and why! We spoke about how to avoid illnesses such as malaria, by sleeping under a net and keeping the grass cut short, as this is where they breed.

The next session was looking at male and female reproductive systems. Led by volunteer Rita, we explained the different areas and looked at the changes the body will go through during puberty.

The third session for the morning was on menstrual health. It was important that the boys learn about the process girls go through in order to minimise the stigma surrounding the topic. It’s essential for them to be taught that it’s a normal process the body goes through and nothing to be ashamed of, especially not something to miss school for.

We had a break at this point, which is when the boys were free to go. The afternoon was all for the girls.

Kate started the session by demonstrating how the reusable sanitary pad worked, how and when to change it. Explaining the process of when to wash them and how to look after them. The pads are set to last for three years, but by teaching the girls to make them, they will be able to create more in the future.

Days for Girls started by showing the girls how to make the bags that they can keep the pads in. This helps to develop their sewing skills as well! They made drawstring bags of fantastic kitenge print. They explained that if the girls had these with them everyday, they would always be prepared and no one would think it had anything to do with their period. Once the girls had made the bags, with some assistance from the volunteers, we stopped for lunch.

At school, children are taught to eat with their hands. So, after teaching the importance of hand washing at the begining of the Health Impact Day, we ensured we had a make shift sink where the children could properly wash their hands before lunch, with assistance from Kate and Tanya. Us volunteers also ate with our hands, which is much harder than it looks!

We continued the afternoon with sewing the sanitary pads. The concentration from every girl in the room was amazing! The aim is to get the girls to replicate what they have learnt. Not everyone has the chance to take part in a day like this, so it’s important that the message is passed across.

Challenges Worldwide is an advocate for working towards the SDGs. In the last session, volunteer Peace explained what these were and which ones we had covered during the Health Impact Day, included clean water and sanitation, and health and well-being.

Days for Girls provide packs for the girls, which include a pair of pink pants and 7 more reusable pads. The volunteers gave these out to each girl, to put into their new bags! We asked a volunteer from the girls to explain and show everyone how they work and key things to remember. There was a very positive atmosphere throughout the day and the girls were very pleased with their new bags.

As the day drew to an end, we had some photo opportunities with the girls, before they left. It was a very successful day and everyone left with knowledge and a smile.

Amazing work from the impact team!

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Written by Evie Robinson,

Business Support Associate, Uganda – 2017

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[themify_box color=”purple”]If you would also like to travel where the challenges are, as Evie did, click here for more information and apply to our programme by the 7th of January.[/themify_box]

4 Dec 2017 Case studies, Environment, volunteers education, environmental impact, Ghana 0

Protect Our Planet: The Event of the Century

Challenges Admin

On Saturday 25^th November the environmental committee kick-started cycle 12’s series of impact events. Titled Protect Our Planet, the event focused on illuminating a variety of environmental concerns here in Ghana, a topic that has long needed addressing. When turning to the statistics one is amazed at the dire environmental condition Ghana has found itself in. For example, of the 36,000 metric tons of plastic imported and manufactured in Ghana per year a measly 2% of it is recycled (in comparison to 63% and 62% in Austria and Germany respectively). A quick look at the streets of Accra will testify to these figures. This all came to a head in 2015 when a tragic flash flood triggered by a rubbish-filled drainage system resulted in the loss of 159 lives. Confronted with bleak figures such as this one cannot help but ask themselves “how do we even begin to tackle such an endemic issue?” During the event, a host of Ghana’s bright minds gathered to present their solutions to this pressing matter.

Whilst we have started on a rather morbid note it must be stressed the event was a positive success, emphasizing a message of hope rather than despair as is often the case when discussing the environment. One of the many shining stars at this event was Chineyenwa, an aspiring environmentalist who tackles the growing rubbish problem through the production of artistic works. Made of recycled waste these works illustrate a combination of her two passions: environmentalism and art. Yet, her efforts do not stop there. Taking the fight to environmental threats further she has been instrumental in establishing a Pan African waste management symposium and works with children aged 8-18 to educate them further on the problems facing the environment. From Chineyenwa we can learn that in order to impact environmental change we must act both at the higher and lower levels of society. After all, this is our planet to protect so why shouldn’t every individual be involved?

After speakers such as Chineyenwa, Richard Frimpong and Lovan Owusu-Takyi paved the way with a series of fascinating speeches. Speeches that not only highlighted the growing environmental concerns but went a step further to illustrate a number of solutions. It was time for a quick recess. Here a few businesses working on the Challenges’ programme put on an excellent spread of food. Special mention must go to Caris Gold who quenched everyone’s thirst with a delicious array of fruit juices. However, I digress.

With bellies filled and minds reinvigorated the event entered its final stage. The climax of this was a truly thought-provoking speech from keynote speaker Gideon Commey, founder of the Ghana Youth Environmental Movement. Focusing on environmental consciousness, Commey conveyed the perfect level of concern and hope, concluding that the current environmental situation could be utilised to stimulate growth in employment and technology. The applause he received after his speech was not only indicative of his own personal success but the success of the event the environmental impact committee strove so hard to bring together.

Overall the event was a major triumph which truly reflected the hard work of the individuals involved. Richard Frimpong, CEO of the waste management enterprise 21^st Century initiatives, described the event as:

“A great and innovative way to address the environmental concerns we are facing, not just in Ghana, but across the globe.”

Not only was the event praised by external parties but internally as well. One of the invaluable coordinators of this event Ciara Farren described the day as an “overwhelming success”. Expressing particular thanks to the panel of speakers for their “inspiring and insightful talks” and to her team of fellow volunteers without whom the event would never have come together. On a personal note, I would like to thank the environmental committee for what can only be described as the perfect Saturday, which left environmental concerns in the forefront of my memory.

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Written by Benjamin Stephenson,

Business Support Associate, Accra, Ghana – 2017[/themify_box]

20 Jan 2017 Case studies, Completed Research, enterprise, News, People charcoal, clean stoves, Completed Research, energy, poverty, renewable energy, stoves, uganda 0

Effectiveness of entrepreneurial capacity building in Uganda: A case study of the improved charcoal stove sector

Challenges Admin

This abstract is from a previous field research placement that saw an MSc student from Edinburgh University work with Ugandan SME Green Bio Energy during Summer 2016 to conduct field research for their MSc dissertation.

If you are interested in conducting field research for your dissertation through Challenges Worldwide, visit our Overseas Research Placements page

A case study of the improved charcoal stove sector

A number of African countries whereby people can struggle to get everyday access to basic needs, are on top of the international agenda to achieve development and eradicate extreme poverty while protecting the environment. 93% of the population in Uganda burn firewood, charcoal and crop residues in inefficient traditional stoves to meet their everyday basic needs of cooking and water heating (MEMD, 2015). In an effort to reduce deforestation and constant inhalation of smoke, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) in Uganda is embedded in a Public Private Partnerships (PPP) with international donors, to implement programmes that empower entrepreneurs to increase the production and distribution of improved charcoal stoves (ICSs), while fighting poverty. Non-governmental organisations are also committed to assisting enterprises to grow in capacity.

To try to find out if the current system of entrepreneurship empowerment is helping Uganda to escape poverty, empirical research was conducted in the country, using participatory observation and semi-structured interviews. As a result, three related situations that can challenge the overall effectiveness of the programmes were found:

Lack of legislation in the sector creates a gap between formal and informal firms. Informal firms produce inexpensive stoves that look like ICSs, making really difficult for formal firms to compete in price. Despite the poor quality of the non-ICS, people often wants to pay less as they can not afford a more expensive stove, especially if both look alike.
Grants and loans to help firms to build capacity are targeted to growth the firm’s infrastructure,
i.e. new machinery, trucks, kilns, warehouses. However, the requisites to get a grant do not
demand the assurance of good working conditions and salaries above the poverty line. Additionally, selection processes are generally based on the effectiveness of a paper proposal to address specific requirements. In many cases, proposals are made by experts that know what has to be projected, although, in reality, the firm does not have the capacity to achieve what has been proposed.
The firms get money to spend on infrastructure, however, due to informal competition, they have to sell the ICSs at a very low cost, reducing their profits almost to cero. This condition leaves the firm with low cash flow that directly affects salaries and the capacity to purchase protective equipment among other things.

The country is trapped in a vicious circle. Programmes are in place to tackle environmental and
health problems while fighting poverty. Funds are given to firms for infrastructure growth, increase production and sales. Low cash flow forces the firms to pay low salaries. People earn less that US$1.90 per day, a condition that does not allow them to escape poverty. Further research needs to be done among other sectors before generalising, however, this is an example of what is happening in the country and why people can not afford a more expensive stove. They end up buying a non-ICS, therefore, environmental and health problems are not being tackled and the country is not escaping from poverty.

Reference:

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL DEVELOPMENT. (2015). Uganda’s sustainable energy for all initiative – action agenda. [Online] Available from: http://www.se4all.org/sites/default/files/Uganda_AA_EN_Released.pdf [Accessed: 03-05-2016]

Pictures: Laura Jimenez

4 Nov 2016 Case studies, enterprise, News, volunteers clean tech, deforestation, energy, environment, health, ICS, impact, lusaka, social enterprise, vitalite, volunteer, Zambia 0

Vitalite Zambia: Impact case study

Challenges Admin

Vitalite, a social enterprise in Zambia, are trying to address environmental and health issues by providing alternatives to charcoal with clean tech.

Enterprise: Vitalite

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Sector: Energy

Volunteers: Melissa Hamalambo, Emmanuel Muntanga, Helen Wright, Edward Lowe

This case study provides an example of the ideal Challenges Worldwide impact – an enterprise which is providing employment and training for a range of people, is having a social impact (in this case health and environmental) and is profitable – ensuring sustainability and growth options. This is then combined with an exceptional experience for the volunteers, resulting in employment for our ICVs and continued engagement with global issues for all volunteers.

Deforestation is a huge issue in Zambia, with over 250,000 hectares of forest cleared every year – a significant proportion of this to create charcoal for fuel. This is hardly surprising with only 26% of the population having access to electricity^[1] and frequent ‘brownouts’ resulting in no electricity for up to eight hours at a time. Charcoal provides the cheapest form of energy, but this has a devastating effect on the environment and people’s health.

Vitalite, a social enterprise in Zambia, are trying to address these issues by providing alternatives to charcoal – through efficient cook stoves, sustainable fuel, and solar solutions. In 2014 Vitalite impacted over 3,000 households and 15,000 people^[2], this was before the introduction of their pay as you go system which has increased their reach even further and has huge potential. The largest company of this kind, M-KOPA in Kenya, has connected 400,000 homes to affordable solar power – demonstrating the huge potential of this kind of intervention.

Read the full case study

visit vitalitegroup.com

[1] IEA (2014) Africa Energy Outlook 2014

https://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/WEO2014_AfricaEnergyOutlook.pdf

[2] Vitalite (2015) Company Brief 2015

http://www.vitalitegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/VITALITE-Company-Brief-March-2015.pdf