Our Impact
A growing record of community-centred health delivery across Gulu and the Acholi sub-region.
Impact Summary
Acholi Women in Health Foundation exists to address persistent health inequities affecting women and girls in the post-conflict Acholi sub-region of Northern Uganda. In Gulu and surrounding communities, families continue to face barriers to timely maternal care, reproductive-health information, mental-health support, preventive screening, and reliable referral pathways. AWIHF responds by bringing health services and education closer to the places where people already live, learn, gather, and seek support.
The foundation's impact is created through connected programmes rather than isolated activities. Maternal and reproductive health outreach supports safer motherhood and informed choices; mental-health and trauma support creates trusted spaces for psychosocial care; community health education strengthens prevention and dignity for women and adolescent girls; healthcare systems strengthening equips local health actors; school and community outreach takes screening and health literacy into everyday community settings; and mentorship builds the next generation of health professionals.
This approach has already produced measurable results, including more than 1,000 households reached through the Patiko Medical Outreach, more than 50 healthcare students equipped through the mentorship pipeline, and multiple structured programme phases completed across the Acholi sub-region. Together, these efforts show AWIHF's practical model of impact: community trust, women-led health leadership, stronger local systems, and more dignified access to care for women, girls, and families in Northern Uganda.
2025 Impact Report
2025 was a defining year for Acholi Women in Health Foundation. We launched community-based SRHR research, reached more than 1,000 households through the Patiko Medical Outreach, and equipped emerging healthcare professionals across Uganda.
Households Reached
Reached through the Patiko Medical Outreach alone.
Healthcare Students Equipped
Supported through clinical, academic, and career development.
Programme Phases
Implemented from January to December 2025.
Abwoch Medical Outreach Report
Read the full report from AWIHF's 3 July 2026 medical outreach at Abwoch Health Centre III, reaching 301 community members across five essential health services.
Community Members Reached
Across five integrated essential health services in a single day.
General Consultations
71.1% women; 71 resulted in documented diagnoses & treatments.
Sickle Cell Screenings
23 individuals (30.3%) identified carrying trait or disease.
Timeline of Growth and Impact
AWIHF Founded
Founded in response to the persistent health challenges facing women and girls in the post-conflict Acholi sub-region, establishing our women-led and community-rooted mission.
- Defined a mission focused on equitable, community-based healthcare for women and girls.
- Positioned our organisation around maternal health, mental health, education, and systems strengthening.
Research and Community Groundwork
The first half of 2025 focused on evidence gathering, early awareness work, and shaping our programmes around community realities in Gulu and the wider Acholi sub-region.
- Launched community-based research on barriers to sexual and reproductive health access.
- Supported early cervical cancer awareness and preventive education efforts.
- Strengthened our advocacy and programme planning using direct community evidence.
Patiko Medical Outreach
We delivered our landmark four-day Patiko Medical Outreach, reaching more than 1,000 households with high-volume, integrated frontline services.
- Provided free medical consultations, diagnostic support, and vision screenings.
- Delivered SRHR education, maternal care support, and referral guidance in underserved rural communities.
- Demonstrated our operational capacity for trusted, large-scale outreach delivery.
Regional Cervical Cancer Initiative
Building on field outreach work, we expanded preventive care education through a regional cervical cancer awareness and diagnosis literacy initiative.
- Educated rural women on early detection, risk factors, and screening benefits.
- Worked with local health facilities to connect awareness with real screening pathways.
National Mentorship Programme Launch
We extended our impact beyond direct service delivery by launching a mentorship pipeline for healthcare students, emerging professionals, and community health workers.
- Connected student professionals with experienced clinical mentors across Uganda.
- Strengthened the long-term health workforce supporting resilient local systems.
Abwoch Medical Outreach
We conducted our official pre-launch medical outreach at Abwoch Health Centre III in Omoro District, reaching 301 community members with essential clinical consultations, screenings, and reproductive health services.
- Delivered 121 general medical consultations with 71 documented diagnoses and immediate treatment dispensing.
- Screened 76 people for sickle cell, identifying 23 trait/disease carriers (30.3%) for informed reproductive choices.
- Provided HIV counseling/testing to 56 people, screened 35 women for cervical cancer, and supported 13 family planning clients with multi-partner collaboration.
Official Public Launch
Acholi Women in Health Foundation officially launched at Gulu University Library Hall, publicly marking our next chapter after a growing track record of outreach, advocacy, and partnership-building.
- Convened public leaders, health partners, and community stakeholders around our shared mission.
- Signaled our transition from formative programme delivery into a stronger institutional phase.
Patiko Medical Outreach
July 10–13, 2025
Reached 1,000+ households across four days with free medical consultations, vision screenings, SRHR education, and post-abortion care referrals in the most underserved rural Acholi communities.
Programme Highlights
Maternal & Reproductive Health
Expanding safe motherhood, antenatal support, family planning education, cervical cancer awareness, and referral pathways for women and girls in underserved communities.
Mental Health & Trauma Support
Creating community-based psychosocial support, healing spaces, peer networks, stigma reduction, and trusted referral pathways for women and girls.
Community Health Education
Delivering school health sessions, menstrual hygiene education, SRHR peer education, and public prevention campaigns that strengthen health literacy.
Healthcare Systems Strengthening
Equipping Village Health Teams, community health workers, and local health actors while improving emergency referral coordination between communities and facilities.
School & Community Outreach
Bringing integrated frontline medical camps, screenings, consultations, and diagnostic education directly to schools and rural community spaces.
Mentorship Programme
Connecting medical and nursing students with clinical mentors to build a stronger pipeline of women-led healthcare leadership across Uganda.
Impact Through Their Eyes
Field photographs and witness accounts from women, students, health workers, and communities show how AWIHF's work is taking root across Gulu and the Acholi sub-region.
Field healthcare operations supporting women and girls in Northern Uganda.
“Before the outreach, I had no access to antenatal care. The nurses from AWIHF not only checked on my baby but also educated me on safe motherhood.”
“The trauma healing groups have given us a safe space to share our pain. For the first time in years, I feel like I am not alone.”
“Being trained as a peer educator empowered me to help other girls in my village stay in school by managing their reproductive health safely.”
Stories of Impact
Real narratives of resilience, health empowerment, and transformation from the communities we serve.
Hope & Safe Delivery in Patiko Sub-County
How a young mother accessed crucial prenatal support, clinical consultations, and emergency birth referrals during our Patiko Medical Outreach, ensuring a safe delivery.
Rebuilding Mental Wellbeing & Safe Community Spaces
How community-led healing circles and psychosocial counseling in Gulu helped women overcome severe isolation, build coping skills, and find pathways to dignity.
Dignity in Education: Empowering Schoolgirls
How a teenage schoolgirl in a rural sub-county was equipped with reusable sanitary pads and trained as an SRHR peer educator, eliminating absenteeism in her classroom.
Building the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders
Connecting over 50 nursing and medical students nationwide with experienced clinical mentors to bridge structural gaps in local healthcare capacity.
Extending Cervical Cancer Screening & Diagnosis Literacy
Rolling out large-scale diagnostic literacy and screening awareness across rural sub-counties to promote early detection and timely healthcare access.
Abwoch Medical Outreach Reached 301 People in One Day
Delivering general consultations, sickle cell screening, HIV testing, cervical cancer screening, and family planning to 301 community members in Tochi County.
Looking Ahead: 2026 Targets
| Target Area | Goal |
|---|---|
| Outreach | Reach 5,000+ additional households with free services |
| Education & SRHR | Distribute reusable sanitary pads to 1,000+ vulnerable girls |
| Maternal Health | Support 500+ teenage mothers |
| Capacity Building | Train 200+ SRHR peer educators |
| Systems Strengthening | Equip 1,000 Community Health Workers |
| Infrastructure | Establish maternal health referral hubs |
| Preventive Care | Scale cervical cancer screening |
| Mental Health | Establish mental health referral hubs |