In 1999 by following her heart, South Australian Judy Steel was inspired to help some of the poorest people on earth. In 2010, we met Judy and began working with her and the UACO (Uganda Australia Christian Outreach) team to support the building of a hospital theatre complex in Kampala, Uganda. Led by the dedicated Dr Edward Ssembatya, the hospital theatre and surgical wing  has taken over four years to complete and is now a functioning 30 bed hospital and 8 bed theatre complex equipped with high quality medical equipment and providing primarily obstetric and gynaecological operations. They look forward to expanding into general surgery as they completely equip both theatres.

Watch the inspiring video of the UACO Hospital Theatre above or take a moment to read about this achievement in UACO’s newsletter on our blog. Click here – UACO Hospital Theatre Opens Its Doors

We are humbled to be a part of this milestone for UACO, having helped fund and even paint parts of the hospital that we visit every year on our Uganda Project. We want to thank all the generous volunteers, individuals, businesses and quiet donors who have contributed to the Foundation and UACO’s work, enabling this theatre complex to function. We also want to extend our thanks to the Uganda Project volunteers who share our message and can understand from their visits what a significant change this hospital will make for those people who have been unable to access quality medical attention in the past.

We had a coffee with Judy and her knight of a husband, Allan, who has watched his wife spend up to three months annually at a time during her ten visits to Uganda for the past seven years.

‘ When I first saw the hospital, they were using what looked like wooden boxes for babies cribs. Now they have a complete humidicrib, just like you would see in any professional hospital around the world. When we arrived to take a tour of the new hospital, we were given surgical gowns and caps and hospital slippers. We weren’t allowed to see one of the surgical rooms as a caesarian was taking place. This was a wonderful moment, to see the hospital being run professionaly and by itself. To see it self sustaining is such a joy.’ Judy Steel.

On May 7, the UACO Hospital theatre was opened in Kampala and is now operational.