HHI Is Expanding Its Child Survival Efforts Into Uganda

It's an amazing time for Hands to Hearts International! We're expanding our work to help children around the world by opening our work in Uganda. This is HHI's first time in Africa and it's miraculous that we get to help more disadvantaged children. It's been our dream for a while. Please read below:

PORTLAND,OR—October 5, 2009— Hands to Hearts International (HHI) (www.handstohearts.org) announced today that it has embarked on a partnership with Medical Teams International (www.medicalteams.org) in an effort to help reduce child morbidity and mortality in Uganda starting this month. Not only is this momentous because of this exciting & new Portland-based alliance, but this is also the first time HHI will be implementing its program to achieve Early Childhood Development Objectives aligned to the UN Millennium Goals in Uganda and the African continent.

The Child Survival program is an initiative to serve 107,000 people (46,000 children under 5, and women of reproductive age) within Lira District, northern Uganda. The program will work with women's groups from the local churches and healthcare staff from health facilities to significantly prevent illness and death among children under five years of age and pregnant women.

“We are excited to be collaborating with MTI on this initiative. It is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that child survival goes beyond basic medical interventions. By educating and empowering caregivers and parents to actively support their baby’s health and brain development, they can build the foundation for a lifetime of wellness, learning, and citizenry ”said Laura Peterson, Executive Director of Hands to Hearts International.

This four-year initiative is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and Medical Teams International, as well as the financial support of private HHI supporters. This award permits Medical Teams International and Hands to Hearts International to be part of formal learning among the US-based nonprofits that are setting high-impact and revolutionary standards in maternal and child health worldwide. To learn more about Hands to Hearts International’s efforts, or to contribute, visit www.handstohearts.org, or mail checks to Hands to Hearts International, PO Box 4224, Portland, OR 97208.

About Hands to Hearts International

Established in 2004, Hands to Hearts International (HHI) envisions a world where all children are nurtured and loved and where all women have the opportunity to actively contribute to their communities. HHI is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of orphaned and vulnerable children and economically disadvantaged women around the globe.

HHI's simple and cost-effective program provides tools and resources for organizations and caregivers to improve the early development of children surviving in orphanages, refugee camps, and severely impoverished or conflict-ridden communities. Through HHI's support and training, caregivers improve their ability to nurture a child's language, social, cognitive and physical skills. And most importantly, HHI's specialized training program enhances the attachment and bonding of infants to caregivers, which establishes the base for all future relationships. Currently HHI operates in India, is looking forward to expanding to other developing countries in the coming future! To learn more about Hand to Hearts International, please visit www.handstohearts.org.