Hi everyone, my name is Hannah Proctor, and I am currently in my first year of a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at University College Dublin.

As part of my clinical placement, I have been given the incredible opportunity to travel to Uganda in June 2026 for four weeks with the UCD Volunteering Overseas (UCDVO) programme. I will be based in Kisiizi Hospital, working on the Paediatric Rehabilitation and Nutrition Project, supporting children with cerebral palsy alongside fellow dietetic and physiotherapy students.

During this placement, we will support the work of Kisiizi Hospital’s nutrition and rehabilitation programmes through nutrition assessments and advice, group therapy sessions, community outreach, and education workshops. We’ll also contribute to multidisciplinary team education sessions and, where possible, assist with data collection to help strengthen the hospital’s services. The project focuses on supporting children with disabilities, ensuring they receive appropriate nutritional care, rehabilitation support, and access to assistive devices where needed.

UCDVO is a registered charity that provides the UCD community with the opportunity to engage in a values-led volunteer programme for the benefit of disadvantaged communities overseas, in response to needs identified directly by those communities themselves.

Kisiizi Hospital, run by the Church of Uganda, is a not-for-profit healthcare provider located in rural southwest Uganda. The hospital serves a large catchment area and includes six wards (Surgical, Maternity, Medical, Isolation, Paediatric and Psychiatric), an outpatient/A&E department, and a full rehabilitation department with a long-term rehabilitation ward. The hospital also delivers community-based outreach clinics, vaccination programmes, rehabilitation services, HIV and antiretroviral treatment, and operates a community health insurance project.

To take part in this placement, I need to raise a minimum of €1,550. The funds raised will go directly towards supporting the hospital’s rehabilitation programme including staffing costs and essential equipment for children with disabilities, as well as covering the costs of the volunteer project itself, such as local accommodation, food, and water.

Any support, no matter how small, would be hugely appreciated. Thank you so much for helping me be part of this amazing experience and for supporting the incredible work being done at Kisiizi Hospital.