From 2025, P.A.C.E. will launch "MOVING FAR," an integrated maternal and newborn health project in the Masindi District (Uganda).

We are proud to announce the launch of a new high-impact project aimed at improving maternal and neonatal survival in the Masindi District of Uganda. This ambitious initiative will lead to the creation of a Center for Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) at the Missionary Sister of Mary Mother of the Church (MSMMC) Health Center in Kyatiri, with the aim of transforming it from a Level III to a Level IV Health Center.

The project is made possible thanks to funds from the Catholic Church, which allocates part of the 8×1000 of total IRPEF revenue tocharitable initiatives for the development of peoples.

Why this project?

In the area where P.A.C.E. has been operating for more than 10 years, mothers and newborns face enormous difficulties in accessing timely and safe obstetric care. The only facility capable of performing cesarean sections and providing intensive care is located 28 km away, a risky and often inaccessible journey. In this context, preventable maternal and newborn deaths remain sadly high.

Our project responds directly to this health emergency, bringing life-saving services closer to the community.

What the project involves:

>Construction and complete equipping of a new Maternity and Infant Unit, with operating room, neonatal and maternal intensive care unit, delivery and recovery rooms, and an area for the "Kangaroo Mother Care" method.

>Construction of a small emergency unit with a minor operating room.

> Creation of an obstetrics and gynecology clinic with examination rooms and an ultrasound room.

>Purchase and provision of a fully equipped ambulance for emergency transport.

>Construction of essential support facilities, including a mortuary, an area for the disposal of medical waste with an incinerator, and a solar system to ensure energy continuity.

> Recruitment and training of healthcare personnel, in line with the requirements of the Ugandan Ministry of Health.

Our objectives

Primary objective:To reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates in the sub-district.
Specific objectives:To upgrade the center to Level IV and develop a functioning CEmONC operational center.

Monitoring, evaluation, and sustainability

We will use SMART indicators to regularly monitor project results: maternal and neonatal mortality, postpartum morbidity, and performance of new services. Key evaluations are planned annually, starting at the end of the first year.

Our three-year sustainability plan envisages the gradual autonomy of the center, thanks to increased revenue from healthcare services, the ongoing commitment of donors, and investments in efficient infrastructure, such as solar power. In addition, there are plans to develop an agricultural activity linked to the center to generate income and create jobs in the community.

Community involvement

The project is based on the full participation of the local population, who actively contribute through:

> Provision of labor and materials for key infrastructure.
> Hiring of local workers during construction.
> Regular communication with community leaders.
> Awareness campaigns and health training.

A step toward health equity

With this project, P.A.C.E. renews its commitment to the right to health. Investing in maternal and newborn health in rural areas is not only a health measure, but also a concrete step toward social justice.

Together we can save lives.

The project is financed with funds from the Catholic Church, which allocates part of the 8×1000 of the total IRPEF (personal income tax) revenue tocharitable interventions for the development of peoples, and is carried out by P.A.C.E. OdV in collaboration with the Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church and the local community of Kyatiri.

Follow the progress of the project here.

For more information or to support the project: paceonlus@yahoo.it

PRENATAL VISITS AND VACCINATIONS AT THE KYATIRI CENTER
Every Tuesday, the Kyatiri Health Center becomes a hub formaternal and child care and prevention. Thecenter's midwiveswelcome pregnant women from the early weeks of pregnancy, accompanying them with regular visits until the last days of gestation. This constant monitoring allows forthe timely identification of any high-risk pregnancies, referring expectant mothers to the nearest hospital to ensure their safety and that of their babies. On the same day, aseries of vaccinations is also carried outfor newborns, who return with their mothers forcheck-ups in the first months of life. This is a crucial time to strengthen ties with families and ensure continuity of care.

In recent years, the number of children vaccinated at birth has grown significantly, thanks in part to the invaluable support ofour friends at Atalanta, promoters ofthe "Neonati Atalantini" project, who work alongside us to protect life from its very first steps.

Malaria: prevention, treatment, and new hope for children
In Uganda, malaria continues to be one of the main health emergencies: every year it causes between70,000 and 100,000 deaths, affectingchildren under the age of 5 in particular, due to their immune vulnerability. After pneumonia and diarrhea, it is thethird leading cause of deathin this age group. Until now, prevention has relied almost exclusively on the use ofmosquito nets impregnated with long-lasting natural insecticides, which are still a vital tool in many areas of the country. An important development:amalaria vaccinefor newborns is finally available, and in recent weeks theUgandan Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the WHO, is introducing the vaccine into the national immunization program. This is a historic step towards protecting the youngest children and an important opportunity to reduce infant mortality.

Bringing health to villages: P.A.C.E.'s Outreach Program
Since 2015, in close collaboration with local health authorities, P.A.C.E. has launched theOutreach Programto extendPrimary Health Careservices to the most isolated villages far from the Kyatiri health center. Today, this service runs regularlytwice a month, offeringvaccinations for childrenwho would otherwise not be able to reach the dispensary, as well asprenatal and postnatal counseling for pregnant women and mothers. The goal is clear: to promote a culture of health and encourage women to give birth in safe health facilities, thus helping to reduce the tragic phenomenon ofpreventable obstetric and perinatal deaths. The activities are carried out bymidwives and nurses from the health center, supported—when available—bydoctors and health volunteers from the Association. Thanks to this community-based approach, the program represents a concrete bridge between the community and essential services, demonstrating that even the longest distances can be bridged withcommitment, listening, and continuity.

THERE IS NO HEALTH WITHOUT EDUCATION: SUPPORT A CHILD FROM AFAR
Since 2013, P.A.C.E. has been supporting the right to education for the poorest Ugandan children, covering school costs thanks to voluntary donations. Attending school in Uganda has a cost that many families cannot afford, but with less than $1 a day, you can change a child's future.

Who can you support?

✅ Starting from€250 per year, you can support a day student: a student who attends school during the day and returns home in the evening.

✅ Starting from€350 per year, you can support aboarding student: a student who lives permanently at school for the entire school year, receiving room and board.

P.A.C.E. collaborates with primary, secondary, and vocational schools in Uganda, offering education, hospitality, and a concrete opportunity for growth.
Would you like to find out more or become a sponsor? Write to us atpaceonlus@yahoo.it
You will receive news and photos of your student... or you can remain anonymous.
All donations are tax deductible.
Give the gift of education. Choose to make a difference.

Future project: new staff houses for doctors and healthcare personnel
With the expansion of the Kyatiri Health Center and the arrival of new healthcare workers, including a resident doctor, P.A.C.E. is planningto build new staff housesto provide adequate accommodation for the staff. In a rural setting where safe and decent housing solutions are lacking, offering hospitality to staff is essential to ensure the stable presence of qualified professionals and guarantee 24-hour medical care.

The project is currently in the study and planning phase, awaiting the necessary funds to get started.

Would you like to help us make this a reality?Donate now!
IBAN:IT04K0326811300052893322360
(In the payment description, you can indicate the project you would like your valuable help to go towards.)

COMPLETION OF THE PLUMBING AND WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
At the end of 2022, the renovation of the plumbing and water supply systems throughout the Health Center was completed, from the Out-Patient Department to the Inpatient Wards and the Maternity Ward. This added another fundamental piece to the "growth" of the Health Center in terms of the quality of services offered to the population.

AGRICULTURAL-NUTRITIONAL PROJECT: FROM THE EARTH TO THE TABLE
The project was created to combat malnutrition, one of the most widespread emergencies in sub-Saharan Africa, where almost half of the population does not have access to sufficient and varied food. The initiative has adopted an integrated approach, developed in four phases:

1. Start-up of agricultural and livestock activities: construction of a cattle shed and a pigsty (10 pens), construction of a chicken coop (150-200 hens) and cultivation of cereals, coffee, fruit, and vegetables.

2. Kitchen for the Dispensary: construction of a kitchen dedicated to preparing meals for patients.

3. Nutrition and care: use of food products to feed patients and children with malnutrition who are monitored by the Nutrition Unit.

4. Sustainability and income: sale of products at the local market to finance the dispensary and reduce costs for mothers and children.

The project has improved access to food, activatedmicro-agricultural enterprises, and created avirtuous model of self-sustainability and social promotion, strengthening food security and the local economy.

CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING FOR NURSES (STAFF HOUSES)
Until a year ago, the Health Center's medical staff lived in small makeshift huts or in small rooms inside the dispensary, in violation of all hygiene standards, sharing a few square meters with the numerous children that characterize Ugandan families. The aim of the P.A.C.E. project was to restore dignity and health to these families by providing them with small but comfortable homes in an area adjacent to but separate from the dispensary, in accordance with the most basic hygiene standards. The homes are now complete, with toilets, water, and solar power!

CONSTRUCTION The lack ofwater wells in Africa is one of the continent's most serious problems. Before this intervention, the Health Center used a well 200 m away, sharing the water with three other adjacent structures and therefore with an inadequate supply of water to the wards and clinics. Thanks to the intervention and generosity of many donors, it was therefore possible to build a well dedicated exclusively to the Health Center. Now it is necessary to find new resources to renovate the plumbing system that carries water inside the facilities, which is currently still completely inadequate.

COMPLETION OF THE MATERNITY AND NUTRITION UNIT
The maternity building has been completely renovated, transforming it into a functional facility withsix beds for women in labor and postpartum, a smallequipped delivery room, andaNutrition Unit forthe care of malnourished children and maternal counseling.