FAQ’s

What is Yotkom Uganda and what does the name mean?

Yotkom Uganda is a not-for-profit charity organisation registered in Australia, working in Northern Uganda to improve access and excellence in holistic healthcare.
The word “Yotkom” comes from the Acholi language and means “health”.

What is Yotkom’s mission and core values?

Our mission is to partner together to improve access and excellence of health care in Northern Uganda. We seek to build relationships, resources and self reliance.

Our Values are Faith. Love. Truth. Respect. Excellence

Where is Yotkom operating, and what kind of services do they provide?

Yotkom’s healthcare work is based in Northern Uganda (in the Kitgum district) where access to health services has been limited.
Their projects include outpatient clinics (24 / 7), 50-bed hospital facilities for children’s, medical, surgical and orthopaedic care, maternal & child health services (antenatal, C-sections, newborn care), trauma & orthopaedics, diagnostic imaging & lab services, pharmacy, and more.

How is Yotkom funded and how does giving/donating work?

The organisation is registered in Australia with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status (ABN 36 622 357 331) so donations are tax-deductible in Australia.
Funds can be given to specific projects (for example palliative care, scholarships, infrastructure, etc.) and Yotkom emphasises that 100% of donations go to effecting change (zero administrative fees in Australian charity as per their website).

Can I get involved beyond financial donations?

Yes. You can support through prayer (they maintain a prayer support team).
You can also volunteer professional skills, or participate in mission-teams, or partner with their local Ugandan team.

What does Yotkom aim for in terms of sustainability and local self-reliance?

Yotkom strives for long-term sustainability by encouraging local income generation and moving toward local self-reliance. For example they adopt an “affordable fee for service” model for local people to help share some of the cost of health services.
Their goal is to reduce dependence on overseas donor financial and professional input, and to manage local finances well.

What is the structure of the organisation and who is involved?

The team includes over 100 employees in Uganda caring for over 400 patients per week.
The founding directors are Dr Andrew and Anne Wright from Australia.

The governing body (Board of Directors ) in Uganda has a close relationship and Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian registered charity.

There are seven directors and a CEO overseeing the Yotkom Australian charity.

Their goal is to reduce dependence on overseas donor financial and professional input, and to manage local finances well.

What are some of the specific current projects Yotkom is running?

Yotkom as an organisation is primarily involved in the following key areas:

Yotkom Hospital administration and clinical governance.
Delivering a diverse range of health services from the Hospital hub (see Our Projects )
Community Outreach and Disease prevention activities
Yotkom Agricultural Project