Projects in progress: a UK Aid Match team visit to Cambodia, Uganda and Kenya
Late last year, the UK Aid Match team visited four grant holders and their delivery partners across Africa and Southeast Asia – Action Aid and UWS (United World Schools) in Cambodia, ADD International in Uganda, and Save The Children in Kenya.
The visits were an opportunity to connect with grant holders and partners, strengthen our critical relationships, and to deepen our understanding of project progress and challenges. They also create time for troubleshooting ideas and offering tailored support, for example, with technical or financial reporting challenges or with understanding the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) approach to safeguarding.
Below is a brief summary of the visits:
In four provinces of Cambodia, Action Aid has established Women Champion Networks (WCN) who are equipping their communities with tools, knowledge and resilience to adapt to climate change, manage disaster risk and amplify their voices to advocate for their rights.
During the visit our team met with members of the WCN in Koh Kong and Kampot, seeing first-hand how their efforts have been impacting them and their wider communities. In Koh Kong, Women Champions demonstrated how their innovative coconut husk fertiliser business is generating funds to support the Network’s other activities, creating financial sustainability for the group. The fertiliser is a natural, eco-friendly way to enhance soil health which is vital in their drought-prone region. And in Kampot, Women Champions delivered agro-ecological training activities such as crop selection and rotation, reducing dependence on agro-chemicals and establishing water catchment systems so women-farmers are better prepared for the effects that climate change is having on their livelihoods.
A key success of the WCN are their mentoring activities, which are providing members with opportunities to build confidence and learn new skills in a safe, supportive community. Women Champions shared how these experiences have had a positive impact on their inter-personal relationships and positions in their households and communities.
Photographs: Coconut husks used to produce fertiliser and generate income for the financial sustainability of WCN; A Women Champion demonstrating the coconut husk fertiliser process
UWS are supporting children to enrol and stay in school in remote regions of Cambodia, while developing education facilities, school management structures and supporting teacher employment and training. This multi-country project also extends to remote areas of Nepal.
Our team and FCDO travelled to Ratanakiri, Kratie and Koh Kong, meeting students, teachers, mothers groups and community leaders across seven schools, deepening understanding of the challenges and progress of the project. The schools are very remote and often in hard-to-reach locations, where support from government and other stakeholders is minimal. The progress so far was evident, with vibrant school buildings and resources, upgraded latrines, running water, and in some cases, electricity.
The UK Aid Match supported schools have strong enrolment and retention rates compared with non-supported schools, and teachers are receiving training and mentoring support to strengthen child-centred classroom culture and learning standards. School Management Committees and mothers groups are central to the project’s sustainability plans to create inclusive school cultures that nurture student learning and a safe environment for children to flourish, especially for girls.
A key strength of the project is the strong relationship that UWS have developed with local government authorities (education offices) and the positive effect this has on the broader work of UWS to help facilitate innovative educational initiatives.
Photographs: Children learning at the upgraded schools
In Uganda, ADD International are supporting young people with disabilities (YPWD) through kitchen gardening, improving both food and income security for them and their families, and reducing the risk of violence against YPWD.
During the visit our team travelled to Jinja and Luwero districts, where they met with ADD International’s partners – Buganda Disabled Union (BUDU) and Source of the Nile Union of Persons with Albinism (SNUPA) – who are working with ADD to advocate for YPWD, as well as implement the project. They were able to visit some of the kitchen gardens as well as a market stall selling vegetables that have been grown in the gardens.
The project is also challenging negative perceptions around the productive capacity of YPWD and the team were happy to hear that there has been a positive shift within communities, families and among YPWD themselves. Through the kitchen gardening, YPWD are contributing to household food security and income, and feedback from them and their families have highlighted increased self-confidence, aspiration and pride.
Photographs: Fatuma, a Lead Farmer, at her market stall in Jinja District; Members of the UK Aid Match team with SNUPA, ADD International and project participants in one of the kitchen gardens
In Turkana and Mandera counties, Kenya, Save The Children are improving access to lifesaving prevention and treatment services for childhood illnesses and malnutrition.
During the visits our team travelled to two community outreach sites in Loima Sub-County, Turkana, to meet with implementing partner Turkana Christian Development Mission, Community Health Promoters (CHP) and the Sub-county Health Management Team. The goal was to understand how they work together to improve healthcare access in these areas. As part of the project, CHPs have been trained to successfully identify and provide appropriate treatment for diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia. This training, alongside a social and behaviour change campaign, has improved community awareness around these illnesses. Mothers in particular now have a better understanding of symptoms to look out for when they or their children are sick and can contact the CHPs to seek appropriate treatment.
It was also encouraging to see the strong collaboration between the Save the Children project team and the County Department of Health and Sanitation, with joint monitoring of project outcomes, mentoring of key health personnel and regular quality assurance checks against the Community Health Strategy. These efforts are supporting long-term capacity, ensuring that knowledge, skills and resources are in place to continue successful implementation of healthcare once the project ends next year.
Photographs: A Community Health Promoter advises a mother on how to monitor her child’s nutrition status; UK Aid Match, Save The Children and Turkana Chrisitan Development Mission’s teams with CHPs
A thank you
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the organisations and individuals involved with these visits. We really appreciated all your time and continued hard work.
Through their three-year UK Aid Match project, World Child Cancer is improving diagnosis, treatment and support for over 2,000 children with cancer and their families.
Early detection of childhood cancer can save lives, however in Ghana awareness and diagnostic capabilities can be limited. World Child Cancer have introduced an Early Warning Signs and Symptoms (EWSS) training programme to empower over 200 health care professionals to recognise the early signs of cancer and ensure timely diagnoses. This training equips participants with the knowledge and tools to differentiate childhood cancer symptoms from other common illnesses, educate local communities on early detection and apply standardised referral protocols if needed.
And the EWSS training is already showing positive results, with pre- and post-training assessments revealing 85% knowledge retention. By building the capacity of healthcare providers, children are receiving faster referrals and improved survival rates.
Photograph: A health care professional with a child patient in hospital
In August 2024, an additional 12 healthcare professionals from different teaching hospitals in Ghana participated in a two-week paediatric oncology internship programme. Here they received hands-on experience in infection prevention, pain management and palliative care. They also engaged in complex procedures such as bone marrow aspirations and chemotherapy administration, enhancing their skills in diagnosing and treating childhood cancer. This practical exposure is not only improving their clinical capabilities but providing a new perspective on patient care.
“Participating in the intrathecal procedure and administering IT Methotrexate [chemotherapy] medications to the patients has thrown more light into childhood cancer, helping me create more awareness by teaching others.” Belinda Akua Agyapong, University of Ghana Medical Centre.
The project also provides nutritional support for children undergoing cancer care, to ensure they have the strength and nutrients to endure treatment and recover.
Abina, was only 2 years old when she was diagnosed with cancer and weighed 5kg – well below a healthy weight for her age. Abina’s mother received nutritional counselling where she learnt how to improve Abina’s diet, and this alongside the introduction of nutritional supplements has increased Abina’s weight to a healthy 11kg.
“Counselling taught me how to prepare nutrient-dense meals. Now my child eats well and looks healthy.” Abina’s Mother.
And finally, at Komfo Anokye teaching hospital, Child Life Specialists like Bernice Ali (pictured below) are using stories, play, and educational resources to ensure children understand their treatment and feel comforted, supported and able to thrive.
Photograph: Bernice Ali with a child patient at the hospital
Learn more about the project and watch this project video to see how Child Life Specialists are educating and empowering children in hospital.
In May, the UK Aid Match team travelled to Nepal to visit grant holders and their delivery partners – EMMS International, PHASE Worldwide, Practical Action, United World Schools and WaterAid.
The visits were an opportunity to deepen our understanding of project progress and challenges and to offer support, for example, with safeguarding, reporting expectations, and financial management.
Below is a brief summary of the visits:
EMMS International are supporting people with holistic palliative care through cost-effective and sustainable health and social care services, and empowering family members and groups to provide support, improved healthcare and engender more caring societies.
Our team visited the Palliative Care Centre of Excellence based at the Green Pastures Hospital (GPH) in Pokhara. Here they observed remote mentoring sessions for the Palliative Care Doctors and Community Educators, through the ECHO tele-mentoring system (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), a crucial forum for shared learning, identification of new palliative care patients and improving quality of patient care.
Visiting one of the rural health posts, our team met Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHV) who highlighted the growing awareness and value placed on palliative care as a holistic approach, which is a significant achievement in a country where the concept of palliative care is still very new.
Photograph: EMMS International, their delivery team and UK Aid Match team members Emma and Bridget outside one of the hospitals
PHASE Worldwide are improving maternal health and reducing malnutrition for 1,000 women and their children in Bajura, Far West of Nepal. This is a difficult location to access, requiring a seven-hour drive on rough terrain, followed by a seven-hour hike, which the Phase team undertake often as part of their work. The region is also prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides, and these can severely impact delivery of healthcare services.
Despite the contextual challenges and remoteness of the project PHASE is meeting and surpassing many of its project goals, and it was great to discuss this with them. The team has delivered safe motherhood training to 891 women and is seeing increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding as a result (amongst other changes). The project also supports a range of agricultural skills training to help increase food production and dietary diversification for pregnant women and new mothers.
Photograph: A mother feeding her child a nutritious meal
Practical Action are working with women and marginalised groups in three rural districts in Nepal to build climate adaptive farming opportunities and improve livelihoods.
Having visited some of the project sites previously (in 2022), our team utilised this second visit to meet Practical Action project staff in their offices in Kathmandu. The project team shared updates and explored ways to further communicate the positive impacts of the project as it moves into its final stages.
The project has improved water access through innovative solar-powered irrigation systems, and has helped establish climate field schools which provide farmers with training on commercial vegetable farming, agroecology and regenerative agricultural practices. Some of the climate schools have introduced labour-saving devices such as electric corn shellers and farm rakes, helping women feel more empowered as they save valuable time and labour.
The project also has strong connections with district and regional private sector actors and traders which is a significant strength of the design. These linkages will be crucial for ensuring sustainability as the project comes to an end.
Practical Action are sharing more about this project at the COP29 talks in November, using it as a working example of how to achieve systematic change at scale.
United World Schools (UWS) are supporting children to enrol and stay in school in remote regions of Nepal, while developing education facilities, school management structures and supporting teacher employment and training.
During the visit it was clear that the positive collaboration between local government stakeholders (education offices) and the UWS team is a key strength of the project and the broader work of UWS, helping facilitate innovative educational initiatives.
The school communities appeared vibrant and supportive, with strong engagement from mothers, School Management Committees (SMCs), and Student Representative Councils (SRCs). These groups play a pivotal role in fostering a positive learning environment and nurturing the holistic development of students. The investment in infrastructure was also evident, with well-maintained school buildings, well-equipped classrooms, and productive teacher spaces, all contributing to an enriching educational experience.
Photograph: Members of our team visiting UWS Koksha School, Tumlingtar
WaterAid is enhancing the quality of learning environments for adolescent girls and children with disabilities in targeted schools of Bardiya. They are collaborating with schools, the broader community and authorities to improve access to sustainable, inclusive WASH services and menstrual health.
While the project experienced some delays in its first year, it was encouraging to learn about the progress being made and the positive direction of activities. The team highlighted that good coordination is developing with key stakeholders, such as The Ministry of Education. Menstrual health awareness training for teachers and local government staff has also started.
In the coming period, the project plans to install a new school water system, including a deep borehole, a water pump with bio sand filters, and dedicated handwashing and drinking stations.
Photograph: Sandhya, a participant in the project
A thank you
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the organisations and individuals involved with these visits. We really appreciated all your time and continued hard work.
