Our Works
Climate Resilience & Environmental Health
Kalangala’s islands are acutely vulnerable to climate change. In 2022–23, rising lake waters and violent storms destroyed homes, schools, and latrines across islands including Bubeke, Kazinga, and Banda — displacing hundreds of families and triggering waterborne disease outbreaks.
HMCHug’s climate-smart activities include large-scale tree planting, promotion of solar energy and improved cookstoves for households, community sensitisation on lake conservation, and disaster preparedness training. We link environmental health directly to maternal and child outcomes.
CHALLENGES WE FACE
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Our dedicated environmental programs directly address the specific climate risks that threaten health outcomes across the Kalangala archipelago.
Violent weather events on Lake Victoria often destroy essential community infrastructure. Recent storms demolished over one hundred fifty household latrines, creating immediate sanitation crises and increasing the risk of waterborne diseases across island landing sites.
The absence of a stable national electricity grid across the eighty four islands hinders modern healthcare. Without power, clinics struggle to maintain the cold chain for vaccines and cannot provide adequate lighting for emergency night time maternal deliveries.
The vast distances between scattered islands and the mainland create immense logistical barriers. Most residents must travel up to fifteen kilometers by small fishing boats to reach the nearest health facility, making emergency responses slow and dangerous.
Deforestation and soil erosion on the islands threaten local health and food security. The loss of indigenous tree cover has increased heat exposure at clinics and schools, while also contributing to the instability of the land surrounding vital community structures.
Our Team in Action
Climate Action Results 2024–25
6,000 Trees Planted
Our team successfully planted 6,000 indigenous and fruit trees like mango, avocado, and neem across island schools and health centers. This initiative combats soil erosion and provides cooling shade for patients while improving local nutritional security for island families.
9 Sensitization Sessions
We conducted nine specialized education workshops focusing on the direct link between climate change and community health. These sessions reached students and landing site residents, teaching them how to manage environmental shifts while preventing climate related health risks.
Solar Power for Clinics
To overcome the lack of a reliable power grid on remote islands, we are installing solar energy systems. These sustainable installations ensure our medical clinics have uninterrupted electricity for vaccine refrigeration, nighttime deliveries, and essential emergency lighting.
Disaster Response & WASH
Following the 2023 storms that destroyed over 150 household latrines, our team performed critical emergency assessments. We are now working to rebuild resilient sanitation infrastructure to prevent waterborne disease outbreaks at vulnerable island landing sites.
Protect Our Islands, Preserve Our Health
From clean water initiatives to sustainable waste management, we are ensuring that the Kalangala islands remain a safe, thriving home for generations to come.