Iganga: Behind the Scenes

We have officially ended our fieldwork in Iganga. As a tribute to the hardworking individuals who helped make it possible, we have put together this special “behind the scenes” feature.

On our last fieldwork day in Iganga, we returned to the village of Nakalama to speak with more fathers and gain insight into where families might use and store the NeMo device. The village families welcomed us into their homes and demonstrated how they would use our device in their home. The visit revealed valuable insights, including that newborns are typically kept inside the house for the entire first week of life, and families use natural lighting in their homes.

We ended off with a late lunch at our usual location, Blessed Corner. After we devoured our “all food” and accompanying Stoney ginger beers, we said goodbye to the staff and returned to Mum Resort to synthesize our findings and pack for the journey to Kampala.

Note: “All food” typically signifies “local food” and consists of posho (mashed corn), matoke (mashed green banana), cassava (root vegetable), steamed greens, and white rice. It’s usually served with a side dish which can be meat, beans, G nut sauce (ground nuts), or meat in G nut sauce!

Now… here’s to the Ugandans who supported us through it all!

Moses

Moses is arguably one of the most popular people in Iganga. Whether it’s in the rural outskirts of villages, or at the local coffee shop, Moses is always greeting everyone with his signature smile paired with a high five. He has been our main contact in Iganga, organizing field testing sessions and interviews with several stakeholders. His connections have been integral to our team uncovering valuable insights in the field.

Winnie

Winnie has been the NeMo team’s contact in Uganda since day 1. She sports her Johns Hopkins shirt and willingly offers the resources of Makerere University to assist our efforts. Winnie advises us on the team’s state of affairs, including the organization of our days and stays. She has been an extremely valuable asset to the team.

Justine

Meet Justine, one of our translators. She is currently a Master’s student at the Makerere University School of Public Health in Kampala. She made the two-hour long commute from Kampala to Iganga numerous times over the last two weeks to join us as we spoke to families in rural communities. Justine is a superstar with wonderfully sassy comebacks and an infectious laugh. The team has really enjoyed working with her in the field and has gained valuable insight from her experiences.

Lydia

Lydia has helped our team this trip by translating during interviews. She has not only helped us understand our stakeholders, but has provided us with valuable insight and understanding as a midwife in a village near Iganga. Our team is very appreciative of Lydia’s continued help on the NeMo project!

Paul (Junior)

Paul is a Public Health student at Makerere University who has been an amazing asset to our team for the past 2 weeks! He has been extremely helpful in translating for us during interviews with mothers and other stakeholders. He is always helping us bridge the communication gap by making the mothers feel welcome and helping us gain as much insight as possible.

Paul (Senior)

None of our traveling in Uganda would have been possible without Paul, our fearless driver. From weaving through boda bodas (motorcycles) on the crowded streets of Iganga to navigating the bumps and divots in the rural dirt roads, Paul always made sure we got where we were going quickly and safely. His insights about the community lifestyle have been extremely helpful, and we are thankful for all that he has done for us!