Good health is the ultimate goal!
OUR OBJECTIVE
To provide sex education, encourage menstrual hygiene, counseling and basic maternal, sexual and reproductive health services (i.e., physical examination, screening for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), primary medical treatment for STIs, family planning materials including condoms and contraceptive pills, manufacture and distribution of sanitary pads.
ESSEI intends to provide a holistic and comprehensive maternal, sexual and reproductive health, menstrual health and hygiene management services to the underprivileged and marginalized people most especially the youth aged 24 years old and below.
Take the first step towards
a healthier you.
Investing in environmental conservation in Uganda involves financial investments, policy advocacy, awareness campaigns, and community mobilization for reforestation, biodiversity conservation, eco-tourism, job creation, sustainable farming, renewable energy, pollution control, and stakeholder collaboration with government, NGOs, civil society, and private companies for institutionalizing investments and ensuring sustainability.
Loremus Windfarm project
Loremus Windfarm project
Menstrual Health & Hygiene Management
Menstrual health and hygiene management (MHHM) involves a set of practices and behaviors that aim to ensure that women and girls can manage their menstruation safely, hygienically, and with dignity. It involves access and proper disposal of menstrual products, personal hygiene, and access to adequate sanitation facilities. A survey conducted in 2018 by Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WESCO) indicated that 79% of girls in Uganda reported that they miss up to 5 days of school each month due to their periods, and 17% miss up to 10 days, yet only 44% of girls in Uganda have access to sanitary pads, and many are forced to use unhygienic materials such as old clothes, and newspapers.
Currently, there are measures in place to enhance MHHM in the nation including research, education and awareness campaigns, distribution of menstrual products, and development of innovative solutions such as reusable pads, and biodegradable menstrual products. Women and girls are being taught how to make and use reusable sanitary pads. Organizations are backing policy change by lobbying for the inclusion of menstrual health in national health policies, and advocating for the provision of menstrual products in schools, workplaces, and public facilities. However, the present initiatives are not sufficient to meet the increasing need.
ESSEI comes in to carry out education and awareness campaigns to dispel myths and taboos about menstruation, while informing the women and girls on the good practices of menstrual health and hygiene. We equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to manage their menstrual health through workshops, community outreach programs, and social media campaigns. We manufacture and distribute free and subsidized environmentally friendly sanitary pads while advocating for increased access to clean and private toilets with facilities to dispose of used menstrual products.
In doing so, we promote good attitude towards menstruation, maintain good reproductive and overall health by reducing infections and the risk of falling victim to cervical cancer. By providing access to menstrual products and facilities, girls can continue their education without interruption and be empowered to take control of their health and well-being. This is our vision.
Loremus Windfarm project
Loremus Windfarm project
Sexual Reproductive Health
Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) entails the physical, mental, and social well-being aspects of sexuality and the reproductive system. The complexities involved incorporate sexual health, reproductive health, family planning, and maternal and child health. As per the World Health Organization, Uganda experienced 336 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017, while the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 2016 indicated 73% of women in Uganda received antenatal care from a trained provider at least once during pregnancy, and 57% gave birth with skilled attendants’ help. The government of Uganda and other organizations aim to improve access to family planning, such as providing free or low-cost contraceptives, training healthcare workers, and incorporating family planning services into existing healthcare programs, while engaging in programs enhancing adolescent sexual health through comprehensive sexuality education in schools, peer education programs, and youth-friendly health services. Increasing access to prenatal care, providing skilled birth attendants and emergency obstetric care, and promoting exclusive breastfeeding are also on the rise. Nonetheless, Uganda faces limitations in family planning access, high rates of adolescent pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, and maternal mortality.
low contraceptive prevalence (36% in 2016, according to the United Nations Population Fund), and high adolescent fertility rates (the number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 in Uganda was 128 in 2017, according to the United Nations Population Fund).
ESSEI intervenes to increase access to sex education, provide counselling services, and healthcare services such as provision of family planning products, medical testing and treatment for STIs, and HIV screening. We engage with communities through workshops and meetings to raise awareness and promote positive behavior while addressing cultural norms and values that may be contributing to poor SRH outcomes, such as gender inequality and harmful traditional practices.
As we tackle SRH issues, we anticipate reduced maternal and child mortality rates, reduced cases of STIs, improvement in overall reproductive health, improved education outcomes, and increased economic productivity. We also foresee the possibility of reduced poverty since individuals and families can better plan and space their pregnancies. Gender equality can be achieved by empowering women to make informed decisions about their
reproductive health and by reducing the burden of caregiving on women.
At ESSEI, we believe this is achievable and we are working to fulfill it.
Loremus Windfarm project
Loremus Windfarm project
Maternal and Reproductive Health
Maternal and reproductive health focuses on the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It includes issues such as prenatal care, safe delivery, postpartum care, and reproductive health issues like infertility, menstrual disorders, and conditions affecting the reproductive organs. This aspect of health ensures access to quality antenatal, skilled attendance at birth, and postnatal care, as well as addressing maternal health complications like obstetric fistula, hemorrhage, and eclampsia. Furthermore, family planning, access to contraception, prevention, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and addressing gender-based violence are also encompassed here.
In Uganda, access to quality maternal health services is increasing, and measures are in place to prevent and manage obstetric fistula, whose cases increase by 1900 each year as reported by the Fistula Foundation. Though access to family planning is improving, and maternal mortality rates are reducing, there is a need to address gender-based violence (GBV) and reduce teenage pregnancies as only 74% of births in Uganda are attended by skilled health personnel. Additionally, only 62% of pregnant women in Uganda receive at least four antenatal care visits, according to DHS 2016, an improvement from 44% in 2000, but below the target of 90% set by the government. To achieve sustained improvements, continued investment in policies, programs, and infrastructure is necessary, as well as a focus on addressing underlying social and cultural factors that contribute to poor maternal and reproductive health outcomes.
We complement the efforts of the government and other organizations by increasing access to maternal health services and creating awareness through community engagement, mass media campaigns, mobile health clinics, and training and deploying community health workers. We also advocate for policy change and increased investment in maternal health and hold duty bearers accountable for their commitments to improving maternal health outcomes. We work in partnership with the government and other stakeholders to address other gaps in maternal health. Ensuring access to quality maternal and reproductive healthcare services is critical for promoting the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities, and it also contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, including mothers and children.