Cascadia to Kigatto Community Health Clinic

13/09/2026

Community Update — Kigatto Village Weekly Training
Dear family and friends of Kigatto Village,

On 11 September 2026, our community gathered for the weekly health training with 36 participants. We reviewed tuberculosis, referral decisions, respiratory diseases, common respiratory conditions, and asthma. Many Community Health Workers shared that managing chronic respiratory diseases, especially asthma, is still challenging, but these ongoing sessions continue to strengthen their skills.

We also shared joyful news: CASCADIA‑Kigatto Community Health Clinic has been shortlisted by the Luena Foundation from over 3,000 applicants, a strong affirmation of our community’s work. We ended the session by reviewing our July–August Newsletter and gathering recommendations from all shareholders.

Umar will share all updates here on our page, including the full details from July to August and the community recommendations.
To our son Umar and the friends of our village, your kindness continues to make Kigatto a wonderful home. We thank OHSU School of Nursing and Portland State University School of Public Health for shaping Umar and supporting this work.

Please visit our website: [https://ckchcuganda.org/](https://ckchcuganda.org/)
Every small contribution helps us complete the clinic.

May God bless you.

Medie

01/09/2026

On August 29, 2026, CASCADIA‑Kigatto Community Health Clinic held a community training on Tuberculosis. We learned together about what TB is, how it spreads, its causes, the different types, the symptoms to watch for, and how families can prevent it. We also discussed the common sites of active TB beyond the lungs, helping our community understand the illness more deeply.

We were blessed with a strong turnout. Fifty‑seven adults attended:thirty females and twenty‑seven males and twenty‑nine children joined us, fourteen girls and fifteen boys. This knowledge will help our Kigatto Community Health Workers identify high‑risk TB suspects early and support patients with better confidence in the villages.

After the training, our team visited two community members who have been sick, offering care and encouragement.

We give heartfelt thanks to OHSU School of Nursing for the guidance and support given to Umar. The opportunity you gave him is now shining through our community and helping us grow stronger in health.

Let us continue working together to make Kigatto shine with good health. You can follow our journey at [https://ckchcuganda.org/](https://ckchcuganda.org/).

May God bless you.

Medie

23/08/2026

On 21 August 2026 Kigatto community members gathered for our weekly health session and learned about Cough what it is, the types, what to watch for, prevention, and care.

We had 50 adults and 15 children attending, and everyone is excited to keep learning.

Thank you to all who support these trainings. Your dedication strengthens our village.

To our son Umar his friends in Oregon and the USA, and the teams working tirelessly to improve Kigatto’s health and wellbeing thank you. And to OHSU School of Nursing and the School of Public Health for shaping Umar, we are grateful for the fruits of your training. May God bless you all.

With children on holiday, we expect even more to join — many said they missed the sessions.

Together, we can build a better future for our Indigenous people.

Join us: https://ckchcuganda.org/](https://ckchcuganda.org/

May God bless you

Medie

20/08/2026

On August 14, 2026, we held our community‑driven malaria training with 50 participants (23 male, 27 female) and 13 children (6 male, 7 female). The session covered malaria basics, signs to look for, prevention, family support, and when to refer.

This training aimed to equip Kigatto community health workers with the knowledge and skills needed to support Hope Against Malaria and sustain malaria control efforts beyond its implementation period.

We also visited one of our members who has been sick with diabetes and hypertension.

To our son Umar, with all friends of our village in Oregon and across the USA, thank you for giving so much of yourselves. Your love, service, and support lift our community every day, especially for families living in difficult conditions with limited access to healthcare.

We also thank OHSU School of Nursing for your reliability and excellence through Umar, we continue to benefit from the fruits of your training.

Kindly visit our website: https://ckchcuganda.org/ We look forward to welcoming you to CASCADIA–Kigatto Community Health Clinic, and every small contribution helps us finish the work.

May God bless you.

Medie

08/08/2026

Dear family and friends of Kigatto Village,

On 7th August 2026, we continued our community training on Common Illnesses and Community Case Management. We introduced the topic of fever — what it is, the signs to watch for, how to prevent it, and what to do.

A total of 33 participants, including 9 children, gained new knowledge during the session.

We also celebrated a major milestone:

Cascadia Kigatto Health Village Association received its official registration and permit, allowing us to continue our community‑driven activities, including training and preparing to open the first community‑led clinic in Uganda. This achievement was made possible through the dedication of the people of Kigatto, Umar’s nursing education at OHSU School of Nursing, his professors, family and friends of the village in Oregon, all donors, and our committed team. Thank you for your focus and teamwork. Our community is learning and growing because of the knowledge he brought home.

Friends of Kigatto, we continue working together to improve our village. Any contribution counts.

Visit us at: https://ckchcuganda.org/

May God bless you.

Medie

03/08/2026

CKCHC‑Uganda | July Training Update

We successfully completed our July community‑driven training on 31.07.2026.
On this day, we trained 50 adults (25 male, 25 female) and 31 children (13 male, 18 female).

Topics covered:
• Growth monitoring
• Signs of malnutrition
• Local food basket activity
• Reading a growth chart
• Evaluation and follow‑up
A big thank you to OHSU School of Nursing. Without the knowledge, skills, experience, wisdom, and support you have given to Umar, our community would not grow the way it does. Your impact is felt deeply here in Kigatto.
Special appreciation to Umar, our community servant, for your hard work today.

To our donors: thank you for choosing to support Kigatto. Your generosity keeps our community shining.

For support, visit: https://ckchcuganda.org/

May God bless you abundantly

Medie

27/07/2026

On July 23, 2026, the CASCADIA–Kigatto Community Health Clinic moderator met with thirty‑one Community Health Workers and eighteen children in a community‑driven training session. The group discussed feeding toddlers and young children, the three food groups, and the basics of growthe monitoring. As they shared the foods commonly eaten in their homes;bananas, sugar cane, mangoes, pumpkin, matooke, cassava, yams, rice, milk, eggs, beans, groundnuts, cassava flour, millet, vegetables, and fruits: it became clear that the community has many nutritious foods, yet feeding practices have long focused on eating simply to get full. These habits were inherited from their parents, and the training helped them understand how this affects child growth.

Through the “house model,” the CHWs recognized that energy foods form the foundation, body‑building foods form the walls, and protective foods form the roof. They agreed that healthy feeding requires all three every day. The community also received an update on the clinic’s progress, and after open discussion, everyone agreed to extend the opening date to allow proper preparation and smooth service delivery.

We give heartfelt thanks to all our donors, to Umar our son and his family, to our friends, and to OHSU School of Nursing. Your support continues to strengthen our community.

Please visit: https://ckchcuganda.org and follow our Facebook for the clinic opening countdown.

Yours,

Medie

25/07/2026

25/07/2026

Cascadia–Kigatto Community Health Clinic (CKCHC–Uganda)
Bridging Global Care with Community!

Last month brought strong movement and togetherness in Kigatto. Every Friday, young people, elders, mothers, and fathers gather in our small training space; still sitting on the floor because we have no chairs yet, ready to learn how to protect their families and prevent disease. Even with limited resources, commitment remains powerful. People walk from across the village with hope. These sessions have become cultural gatherings where learning strengthens our community!

Our training manual blends nursing knowledge from OHSU and other Portland universities with Kigatto’s cultural wisdom. Elders share stories, youth ask questions, and mothers connect the teachings to daily life. The learning is simple, and the impact is deep!
June Training Attendance
• Maternal, Newborn & Child Health 34
• Maternal & Newborn Health 18
• Immunization & Vaccination 71
• Newborn Care, Nutrition & Growth 29

Clinic Preparation & Ministry of Health Compliance
In June, community leaders visited clinics and hospitals in Kampala to study facility layout and operations. The Ministry of Health requested upgrades to new doors, improved water systems, and stronger waste management. All have now been completed, and CKCHC is moving toward full compliance.

Community‑Led Selection of Our Clinician
After meeting several clinicians, the community selected Dr. Isma from Gombe District Referral Hospital and Mulago School of Nursing & Midwifery. He accepted with humility and volunteered to guide CKCHC through licensing. Under his direction, we added emergency exits, windows, sinks, and proper waste and hazard areas to meet Ministry of Health standards.

Oregon–USA Council of Elders / Advisory Board: We honor our Advisory Board whose guidance connects global health care knowledge with Kigatto’s cultural leadership:
• Dr. Ashley Roach
• Kyrie Thompson K
• Monica Zimmerman
• Charis Anne Baz
• Dr. Scott Hassler
• Laura Stanley
• Merm Rosenbaum.

501(c)(3) Registration: Friends of CKCHC–Uganda, Inc. has begun registration in Oregon. The Advisory Board is strengthening financial tracking, grant proposals, and clinical safety systems.

Fundraising Progress
Clinic Opening Goal: $16,500
Raised in June: $2,925
Remaining Need: $13,675
Funds will support childhood medicines, clinical beds, diagnostic panels, and operational needs for our Fall 2026 opening.

June Supporters
• Dennis Karas & Anne Mavor
• Dr. Lisa Chickadonz & Chris Tanner
• Charis Baz,
• Monica Zimmerman
• Bronwyn Baz Sakamoto
• Trish Ivie,
• Luca Ndiwalana.
Thank you for standing with CKCHC–Uganda. Together we are safeguarding generations.
The future of our community’s health is growing right here in our own hands.

Please visit: https://ckchcuganda.org and follow our Facebook for the clinic opening countdown.
Compiled by Umar Ndiwalana, BSN RN, Community servant and son of Kigatto

20/07/2026

CASCADIA