Buseesa Community Development Centre

PROVIDES A MICROCREDIT LOAN PROGRAM, EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND HEALTHCARE SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY OF BUSEESA PARISH IN UGANDA.MICROLOAN PROGRAM: THE BCDC UTILIZES A GROUP-BASED LOAN PROGRAM WHERE BORROWERS FORM GROUPS OF BETWEEN FIVE AND TEN BORROWERS. IN PLACE OF COLLATERAL IN THE TRADITIONAL BANKING SENSE, BORROWERS' LOANS ARE CONDITIONAL ON THE REPAYMENT OF THEIR FELLOW GROUP MEMBERS. THE AVERAGE STARTING LOAN IS $92, WHILE SOME BORROWERS RECEIVE OVER $400 IN LATER LOAN CYCLES. BORROWERS UTILIZE THEIR LOANS IN A VARIETY OF LIFE-CHANGING WAYS. BORROWERS HAVE BUILT THEIR FIRST BRICK HOMES RATHER THAN MUD AND STICK, ENROLLED CHILDREN IN SCHOOL, PURCHASED LAND AND ANIMALS, AND PURCHASED FOOD TO PREPARE HEALTHIER MEALS. BCDC ADDED APPROXIMATELY 300 MICROCREDIT BORROWERS IN 2014.EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE: CONSTRUCTION OF THE DEIRDRE ANN ACADEMY WAS COMPLETED IN MAY OF 2014. THE SCHOOL HAS TWO CLASSROOMS AS WELL AS LATRINES FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS ATTENDING THE SCHOOL. HEALTHCARE SUPPORT: BCDC SERVES THE HEALTH NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS HEALTH CLINIC, "EM'S," AND ANNUAL RURAL HEALTH CLINICS. EM'S HEALTH CLINIC CURRENTLY STAFFS 4 HEALTH PERSONNEL. THE CLINIC CONDUCTS PROGRAMS RELATED TO PATIENT CARE, HEALTH OUTREACH, AND HEALTH EDUCATION. BCDC HAS LED THREE AND FACILITATED ONE TRIP OF MEDICAL PERSONNEL FROM CALIFORNIA TO CONDUCT RURAL HEALTH OUTREACHES. AFTER VILLAGERS ARE REGISTERED, THEY ARE SEEN BY THE NURSES AND THEN NURSE PRACTITIONER AND/OR DOCTOR. IF NECESSARY, THE PEOPLE ARE TESTED IN THE LAB FOR DISEASES LIKE HIV/AIDS, MALARIA, TYPHOID, YELLOW FEVER, AND STIS. AFTER BEING ASSESSED AND IF NECESSARY TESTED, COMMUNITY MEMBERS COULD BE PRESCRIBED AND RECEIVE DRUGS FREE OF CHARGE. DURING THE 2014 TRIP, OVER 1,200 PEOPLE WERE ASSESSED, TESTED, AND TREATED. THE TEAM ALSO CONDUCTS PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION.