Please fill out this form below to be registered as a Donner with our Charity Organisation.
Please fill out this form below to be Sign in as a Donner with our Charity Organisation.
Meet the key speakers at the IWA UK Easter retreat
By George Agiru
Dr Patrick Igulot, Chairman IWA UK
Dr Patrick Igulot is the chairman of Iteso Welfare Association (IWA UK).
Patrick recently attained a PhD in Health Sociology at City University, London. He carried out research on vulnerability to HIV infection in Uganda as part of his doctoral degree study.
He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Sociology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science, both from Makerere University Kampala.
Patrick has more than 15 years’ experience of leadership, management, and research. He previously worked as Manager of The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) branch in Soroti, Regional Project Officer for TASO Eastern Region in Mbale, Research Officer TASO Central Region in Kampala and Data Officer for TASO in Jinja.
He is married and has children. He would like to see Iteso united and prosperous, and wants IWA UK to grow into an association that unites all Iteso around the world.
Dr Igulot provided an update on the progress of the Association, at the Iteso Welfare Association (IWA UK) Easter retreat at Milton Keynes.
Mark Pinchin, Businessman and Public Affairs Director, London
Mark was born in Edgware and lived in Watford before moving with his family to Biggin Hill, Kent at the age of two.
He attended the local primary school and went to Oxted (Surrey) for secondary school education where he passed all subjects with As. Mark enjoyed various sports at school, including golf and football. He played football for South East Surrey County and Fulham juniors. He was also part of the local scouts and air cadets.
He attended college in Tonbridge where he achieved a B-Tech National Diploma in Computer Studies in 1999.
Mark continued to play golf and aspired to become a professional player. He gained employment at a golf driving range in London, selling golf equipment, practising and playing in tournaments with the aim of turning professional. He moved on to work at various golf clubs before starting up his own painting and decorating company.
Mark started delivering drug education presentations around the South of England in 2003. Within two years, he had delivered drug education to well over 20,000 students.
In 2005 Mark started volunteering at the Church of Scientology in London where he was able to increase the delivery of drug education by helping others to do the same.
Mark has now been in this role for the past 11 years and continues to educate others about drugs, criminal reform, human rights and disaster relief.
He continues to run his own successful painting and decorating business and is married. He has an 18 month old daughter.
Mark was the key speaker on drugs at the Iteso Welfare Association (IWA UK) Easter retreat at Milton Keynes.
Alexandra Akutwi, Health Coordinator IWA UK
Alexandra is one of the most resourceful members of Iteso Welfare Association (IWA UK). She has been employed with the National Health Service (NHS) as Senior Staff Nurse since 2003.
Alexandra is a specialist in complex orthopaedic nursing and spinal cord injuries and deformities. She runs her own clinics, seeing an average of ten patients a day aged 16 or over.
Alexandra is passionate about diabetes which is one of the major global problems we are faced with in the current clinical climate. She has completed a Diabetes care and management course in South Bank University. She aims to major and qualify as a diabetes specialist nurse and be able to set up a diabetes clinic in Teso (East Africa).
In her role as the Health Coordinator of IWA UK, Alexandra focuses on health promotion rather than health management. She explains that this approach is best, especially for diabetes, because management tends to be expensive and inaccessible to many people.
She is a strong advocate of health promotion in the current climate of inequalities and inadequate access to healthcare.
Alexandra delivered a presentation on nutrition, obesity and diabetes, at the Iteso Welfare Association (IWA UK) Easter retreat at Milton Keynes.