For my practicum project, I have come to Uganda to conduct research on maternal health, focusing on that of the Batwa in Southwestern Uganda. The project will examine how national recommendations for nutritional antenatal care are being implemented at the community level by health care facilities (Bwindi Community Hospital) to elicit understanding and compliance in the women receiving care. Through this, the project aims to understand national, community and individual levels of maternal nutritional care. Using qualitative data obtained through focus group discussions and key informant interviews, the objective of the project is to improve efficiency and delivery of necessary nutritional antenatal care as well as improving other areas of maternal nutrition services in the region.

I left Canada on April 16^th, and since have spent two weeks in the city of Kampala, and just recently arrived in Buhoma. This is the home base from which the research for my project will be conducted. During my time in Kampala, I worked with research partners the University of Guelph had previously established, and began to network with individuals with an expertise in Maternal Health and Nutrition. I met with individuals from Makerere University and the Ministry of Health. My experience in Kampala was incredible, I was amazed at the ability to quickly connect with influential individuals, and I became excited at the potential for my project, envisioning the impact it could have with the connections in the Ministry of Health I had formed. While I’ve gained a breadth of insight working with key actors in Maternal Health in Uganda, this has not been without experiencing the intricacies of conducting research. During these first few weeks a research plan was formulated, ethics approval was obtained and translations were made of the necessary documents.

This past week has been filled with preparations for the larger survey that is being administered, as well as my individual project. I met with key individuals at Bwindi Community Hospital to understand their interests in Maternal Health and Nutrition, and how we can best align our research to facilitate a positive outcome for all those involved. I am looking forward to moving forward with the project in the weeks to come!