No Pregnant Mother Should Die on the Islands
HMCug brings skilled maternal care, emergency transport, and health education to the 84 islands of Kalangala — one of Uganda’s most isolated and underserved communities.
Make a difference today
Whether you give, volunteer, or partner with us , every action directly impacts the survival chances of mothers and newborns across Kalangala’s 84 islands. Here’s how you can help.
Become a volunteer
Join 450+ individuals providing medical services, community mobilization, and mentorship to improve health outcomes across Kalangala.
Become a partner
Become a partner Collaborate with us to strengthen health systems, scale outreach models, and create lasting impact for mothers.
Donate Today
Donate to support Your contribution funds maternal clinics and water ambulances, providing lifesaving care to vulnerable island mothers now.
About Us
Healthcare is a Right, Not a Privilege of Location
Hands for Maternal & Child Health Uganda (HMCHug) was founded in January 2024 after a group of doctors and engineers witnessed the devastating health inequalities faced by pregnant women and children across Kalangala’s islands on Lake Victoria.
With no ambulance boats, no neonatal units, and health facilities accessible only by wooden canoe, preventable deaths happen every week. We are here to change that — through clinics, education, community training, and emergency transport.
Our Pillars of Change
Our integrated approach addresses not just health access, but the social, environmental, and economic factors that determine whether a mother and child survive.
Children’s Home & Holistic Care
The remote islands are home to many vulnerable orphans with no safe place to live—none of them receiving professional trauma care.
Mobile Outreach
Boat-based mobile clinics visiting remote islands monthly, delivering ANC, immunisation, HIV testing, family planning, and emergency care.
School Health Education
Family life and reproductive health education in 20+ secondary schools, reaching 10,000 adolescents with life skills and GBV prevention.
Youth Livelihoods
Vocational training in goat farming, tailoring, baking, and marine safety for 300 vulnerable adolescents and young mothers.
Make a Donation Every Dollar Saves Lives
HMCHug is seeking $1,124,050 to complete its 2024–2027 project. Here’s what different levels of giving can achieve on the islands.
One Time Gift
Sponsors an outreach clinic visit to one island, delivering ANC, HIV testing, and immunisation
One Time Gift
Trains 5 Village Health Team members in maternal health, first aid, and emergency referral
MAJOR GIFT
Equips one island clinic with delivery kits, medical supplies, and a solar panel system
Give Children
Improving health in remote island areas. No mother should perish from preventable causes. We build clinics with modern neonatal care. Our mobile teams reach scattered landing sites despite rough lake waters. Our mission ensures that every family receives quality assistance through dedicated midwives, volunteers.
Stories of Impact
Real Lives Changed
Behind every statistic is a mother, a newborn, a young girl given a second chance. Here are just a few of the stories from the islands.
Adolescent Support
Joan's Journey from Crisis to Courage
At 16, Joan became pregnant and feared her future was over. With HMCHug’s support — antenatal care, safe delivery, and school reintegration — she safely delivered a healthy girl and returned to Senior Three.
Emergency Care
Namuluuta: Found When Hope Was Lost
After a full day in obstructed labour in Lwabaswa Village, the HMCHug team arrived at the village church, rushed to her home, and delivered her baby girl — saving two lives with no ambulance, just dedication.
Outreach Support
Namatovu: Four Months Alone
Pregnant and abandoned when her husband was arrested, Namatovu had never attended antenatal care. Our outreach team found her, gave her check-ups, nutritional guidance, and consistent follow-up care.
What We Stand For
Our Core Values
Everything we do is guided by six deeply held principles that shape how we serve, engage, and advocate for the communities of Kalangala.
Equity
Every mother and child deserves care regardless of where they live, how remote their island, or how little they own. We go where others do not.
Dignity
We treat every patient — from the elderly fisherman to the teenage mother — with the respect and care they deserve as human beings.
Sustainability
We build clinics, train staff, and create income-generating opportunities so that our work outlasts our funding and is handed back to communities.