A letter from Olivia Kamayangi, MD

 Sometimes on a break during a busy clinic day, I think fondly of when I was a young girl growing up in rural South Uganda. I recall watching grazing cows, planting and harvesting potatoes, hiking to the tops of hills and surveying the glorious Ugandan countryside.

Much has changed from my early life in becoming what I am today: an American physician. My origins are deeply rooted in me, and they are the reason why, together with my husband, I founded a Non-Governmental Organization to support the women in my region of Uganda. They are a courageous group of women who, with a little bit of help, can change the trajectory of their lives and the lives of their families. The strength and humanity of these women of south Uganda inspire me to tell you my own story, and I hope that, in turn, my story inspires you to become involved with the Kigezi Women and Children Health Initiative.

My life began with love and stability, which was abruptly changed by a tragedy, then by my own surrender to circumstances, and finally an embracement of a new and unexpected life. I grew up in rural South Uganda in a village called Kigarama with two wonderful parents, two brothers and two sisters. I was raised in a typical household where education, family and faith were valued: the Kamayangi family was respected and esteemed in our community.

My daily routine was to wake early, fetch water, harvest food for our meals, and walk barefoot for several hours to and from school. I felt at the center of a peaceful world, but at age of 4 my world turned upside down when my father was tragically killed by a car while walking home from work. He was a teacher, a community advocate, a father, a husband and a son.

My childhood environment changed forever. I watched my mother carry us through our collective tragedy with resilience and strength. I witnessed her determination and her commitment to change her children’s destiny from one of poverty to a world of possibilities. She started to think of the impossible: she wanted her daughters to have an education.

Where I grew up, girls do not have the same opportunities for education that boys have. A Ugandan woman’s role is to rear children, provide food by physically working on family farms, and to maintain a home as the matriarch of the family. My mother thought differently. She would often say, “I want each of you to afford underwear and soap”, which was her way of saying that she wanted her daughters to have financial independence. My mother asked the Comboni Missionaries if her children could attend their school, which was about 50 miles from our home. Although all of my siblings were interviewed, I was the only one accepted to the school.

This was a precious opportunity. I studied and excelled and graduated with the highest marks. After graduation, I received a scholarship to attend the Mbarara Medical School, one of the most important teaching hospitals in Uganda. My mother and family were so happy. I might finally be able to afford my own underwear and soap! My studies then opened another opportunity: to study abroad. I was given a full scholarship to attend medical school in Bologna, Italy. My mother gave her blessing to me by saying, “Please remember to write to us once you have arrived.”

 In Bologna, I met Gian Luca Gamberini. We married and soon we welcomed a daughter to our family. I accepted a residency position and eventual employment in The United States of America, and Gian Luca and I continued our adventure together abroad. We still visit my family in Uganda, and during one of our trips we realized that we needed to share our fortunate circumstances with the community in which I was raised. This idea became the seed for what is now Kigezi Women and Children Health Initiative (KWCHI).

I believe it is universally understood that education is a powerful instrument for changing lives. In many cases, it is the most important means for lifting individuals out of poverty and creating change for the future. Through Kigezi Women and Children Health Initiative, Gian Luca and I hope to create positive change for the Kigezi women of my Ugandan community. Our goals are simple but, if realized, may be deeply impactful to women and children. We want to provide tools for the financial independence of women. We want to champion the education of their daughters and sons. We want to teach strategic harvesting practices for stronger sustainability of family farms. We want to offer infection prevention for the community. But in order to achieve these simple things in my Ugandan community, KWCHI must develop the financial stability and resources to sustain our missions.

There is so much more we can do, but we need your help. In order to make these changes, I am asking you to join me and others in supporting Kigezi Women and Children Health Initiative. Your donation will have far-reaching economic and social impacts for the Kigezi community. Below you will find the financial breakdown of some of KWCHI’s successful projects that are already underway. We hope to expand upon these, one family at a time.

Additionally, KWCHI has begun an ambitious fundraising initiative to build a community center where women and children can work, learn, and congregate in a safe and positive environment. The cost is $50,000. We are excited to share the drawings for the community center here.

I will never forget my mother’s sweet wishes for her children, that we would someday afford underwear and soap. I hope I have made her proud. I think of her lessons everyday as I care for my patients, and I carry out this mission to honor her and all the resilient mothers of Uganda.

KWCHI cannot work without the generosity and enthusiasm of our larger village: You. 100% of your donations are used to support KWCI projects and the construction of the Kigezi Women Community Center. Online donations can be made on our website or via Venmo.

or Venmo @kigeziwomen

I appreciate your support and look forward to sharing our yearly progress with you via our emailed newsletter. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Mwebare munonga (thank you very much in my language)

-Olivia Kamayangi, MD