"Obbanywa": the life changing Radio Program.

By Charlotte Muhwezi

“Obbanywa”: is the most frequently used word in Luwawu Parish, Kiboga district. Even the young children are familiar with it. When one mentions Obbanywa, everyone knows what they are referring to. This is the Radio Distance Learning (RDL) program for the Village Health Teams (VHT). RDL program is an Innovation under the Health sector aimed at educating and training all VHT’s at the same time. This   solved the prior challenge of training a few VHT’s at a time, which was time consuming and inadequate. Obbanywa prompts one to inquire about the meaning of this word and it’s from there that they are told about the RDL program. Basically Obbanywa is a RDL program that is a communal engagement on social issues. No matter which part of the world one is from, when they hear the word Obbanywa, they should know that it refers to the RDL Program that trains VHT’s on how to handle social and Health issues in the community.

With the RDL program, close to 54 VHT groups in Kiboga district converge in different locations in groups of five to listen to the different programs every Wednesday and Sunday of the week. These programs range from issues of Child protection, HIV/AIDS awareness, domestic violence, Sanitation and Hygiene, Maternal and child health and Malaria among others.  The program began in October 2012 and has since impacted many lives in the community. During the program, the community members get an opportunity to listen in as indirect beneficiaries. It is then that the VHT’s elaborate further on what was being discussed during their home visits since they are the direct targets. The VHT’s also have the Obbanywa books which guide them on how to go about their work. They are encouraged to make home visits, treat children that are suffering from Malaria, Diahorea  and refer those with complicated diseases to Health centers,  mobilize the community for awareness on social and Health issues when need arises and be role models in their own communities.

Edward Kisembo is a VHT that has helped a mother survive a third miscarriage from the knowledge he got during RDL program under Maternal& Child Health. Kate Kabaziga, aged 22, only has praises for Edward because of the help he gave her that saved her third pregnancy. No mother wants to have a miscarriage and having two of them is just a nightmare! When Kate had lost all hope of ever being a mother, she discovered that she was a month pregnant with her third child. Luckily for her, Edward was moving around in their village and passed by her homestead to make routine visits. It was then that he discovered   that Kate had never gone for any antennal visits and neither did she sleep under a mosquito net during any of her previous pregnancies.”I advised her to go for an antenatal check up as well as sleep under a mosquito net. I also monitored her and ensured that she never forgot to have all her check up appointments or reviews”. Edward says. He also encouraged her to eat the right food, have enough rest and frequently go to hospital so as to monitor the growth of the baby and detect any complications should they arise.

Nine months later, Kate gave birth to a very handsome bouncing baby boy whom she named Mukisa which means “blessing”. “If it wasn’t for Edward, I would still be mourning the loss of my two unborn babies. I don’t anymore because I have one now that I thank God for everyday.” Says Kate. The Radio Distance Learning program has indeed been a blessing to many through the VHT’s because like Edward, several others are able to offer help because of the knowledge and skill they get during the program. When the VHT’s are listening in to the RDL program, questions are sent to them through their mobile phones about the topic that was being discussed which they answer to. These help them to clearly get the gist of the matter and understand it fully so that they are able to support the rest of the people in the community.

 The RDL program has changed many lives and is continuously changing many others. This program has been well embraced in the community and almost every household has a radio because no one wants to miss Obbanywa every Wednesday at 4:00pm and Sunday at 5:00pm!