Reach Out - Mbuya Parish HIV/AIDS initiative

Reach Out - Mbuya Parish HIV/AIDS Initiative (Reach Out) is a project under the Catholic parish of Our Lady of Africa Church, Mbuya, Kampala. It was initiated in May 2001 by a physician working in collaboration with the parish priest. The parish is divided into sub-parishes, which are in turn divided into Small Christian Communities (SCC). The operation started with three volunteers who catered to the needs of 14 clients living with HIV/AIDS. Reach Out experienced a rapid growth, and by February 2002, the number of clients served had increased to 109 persons. In response, a health clinic was established on the premises of the Mbuya Parish Church. The increased number of clients necessitated recruitment of staff to care for them. However, given the meagre resources available, the parish managers decided to recruit volunteers instead. The organization currently cares for over 1500 clients with a team of 230 volunteers, 77% of them clients themselves, delivering support through 11 different health and social programs.