Well On their Way believes that no matter where in the world a pregnant woman presents to deliver her baby, she should leave that facility alive and in good health, with a healthy baby in her arms.

With your support, you can help us continue to fulfill our mission. 

Well On their Way is a group of American physicians and Ugandan clinicians working in partnership to improve delivery outcomes of mothers and babies in the Gulu District of northern Uganda, a region torn apart and recovering from a 20-year war. Based on recent data from UNICEF, a newborn in Uganda is four times as likely to die within the first 28 days of life than a newborn in the United States.

 To ensure every Ugandan health care provider, whether a clinical officer, midwife or nurse, in even the most remote two room clinic has the equipment, skills, and knowledge to correctly identify and manage maternal and newborn emergencies, WOtW has delivered training developed by the WHO specifically for health care providers working in resource limited countries. Six evidence-based training programs have been implemented:  

• Helping Babies Breathe/Essential Newborn Care 1 (providing immediate ventilation for babies born with asphyxia)
• Essential Care of Every Baby/Essential Newborn Care 2 (important care and assessment within the first 24 hours of life)
• Bleeding After Birth (management of the mother with post-partum hemorrhage)
• Essential Care for Labor and Delivery
• Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia (identifying, managing and appropriately referring this life-threatening illness)
• Pre-Referral Care if High Risk of Preterm Birth (identifying mothers at risk of preterm labor, providing early management and appropriate referral)
  

 The US and Uganda teams train the Ugandan trainers, who in turn train over 100 local health care providers at 26 health centers, scattered from each other in this very remote, impoverished region. Recent data from the Ugandan Ministry of Health show that babies in Gulu District have significantly lower perinatal mortality rates than the country as a whole.

Trainings provided by the US and Uganda WOtW teams are making a difference!

To maintain knowledge the WOtW team in Uganda continues the work year-round by providing:

• Rotating eight week refresher courses in all six curricula, right at the worker’s own health center. (This program has received national recognition in Uganda!)
  
• Training of the six curricula annually to every newly hired nurse, midwife and clinical officer in Gulu District.

New in 2025/26 - Two Exciting WOtW Programs!

  We are grateful for every donation enabling us to grow and sustain our work.

See how your donation will work: 

$30 supports purchase of a reusable newborn ventilation bag and mask - $300 buys 10!

$50 supports purchase of an electronic blood pressure cuff.

$500 supports a 2-day training of 30 Village Health Team members.

$1000 supports annual refresher training of over 100 health care providers in six WHO courses.

Please join us in making sure that every mother and baby in Gulu District receives appropriate care at delivery giving them the best chances for a healthy start…so they are Well On their Way...and make your contribution even more powerful by sharing this via email, word of mouth, and social media.

We appreciate your one time donation and kindly ask you to consider becoming a monthly donor.

Thank you, Asante sana, Afoyo

The Well On their Way team

The WOtW team: From left to right: Dr. Matthew Kane, Public Health Nurse Richard Nyeko Ssemujju, District Health Officer Dr. Kenneth Canna, Dr. Ann Markes, Assistant District Health Officer Anena Grace, Master Midwife Susan Apiyo, Medical Coordinator and Midwife Monica Akello, Dr. Megan Carmel, and Master Midwife Jacqueline Olanya Grace.