Hi there, my name is Mia and I’m studying an MSc in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at University College Dublin. As part of my dietetic clinical placement I have the incredible opportunity to volunteer with the University College Dublin Volunteer Overseas (UCDVO) programme at the Church of Uganda Kisiizi Hospital for four weeks in June and July.

As part of this programme, each volunteer must fundraise a minimum of €1,550. These funds will go directly towards the hospital’s rehab and nutrition programme, including staff costs and essential equipment for children with Cerebral Palsy. This will also cover the cost of local accommodation, food, water and transport during the volunteer project. These funds will not go towards flights or vaccination costs.

The project I will be working on is a combined paediatric nutrition and disability rehabilitation project alongside twelve other UCD dietetic and physiotherapy students and two clinical tutors. The nutrition aspect will involve nutrition assessments and advice, community outreach, and education workshops. The physiotherapy aspect will involve treating children daily with group therapy sessions, measuring all patients for aids and assistive devices if needed, delivering multi-disciplinary team education sessions every afternoon, community outreach and education activities.

Any donations towards this project would be greatly appreciated, without your generosity and help it would not be possible. Additional information about UCDVO and the Church of Uganda Kisiizi Hospital is included below. Thank you for your time and generosity!

UCD Volunteers Overseas is an independent charity founded in 2003 by the late Fr Tony Coote. UCDVO is registered with the Charities Regulator, registered charity number 20055776 and has been granted tax exemption by the Revenue Commissioners in Ireland - registered charitable taxation number: CHY 15856. UCDVO is part of the Global Community Team in UCD Global.

UCDVO’s Volunteer Programme combines the best of in-person global citizenship education with responsible international volunteering. They prioritise a responsible and ethical approach to international volunteering and global citizenship education to create a vibrant active citizenship programme. UCDVO has worked in partnership with civil society organisations in Uganda for the last decade on healthcare, livelihoods and non formal education.

The Church of Uganda Kisiizi Hospital is a community hospital founded in 1958. It is a private, not-for-profit healthcare provider in Southwest Uganda, and consists of several clinical departments, including Rehabilitation, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, HIV, Anaesthetics, Dental, Maternity, Pharmacy, Surgery, and more. The hospital also runs an outpatient department, and provides multiple services to the local community, such as community-based outreach clinics, vaccination and rehabilitation programmes, and a HIV and antiretroviral treatment centre.

The main outcomes of last year’s 2025 project are as follows:

27 children with disabilities and their caregivers attending the Cerebral Palsy camp received physiotherapy and dietetic assessments, management and treatment plans, and equipment assessments and provisions

27 caregivers partook in nutrition and disability workshops, receiving education, advice and exercises on the physical and nutritional needs of their children

Educational community outreach visits were carried out by Kisiizi staff and volunteers, engaging local rural communities in disability awareness and educational talks on Cerebral Palsy

The physiotherapy team conducted home visits to children in the local community. During home visits, children were assessed and caregivers provided with nutrition, physio and general health advice and exercises