Two Countries. One Project.
Uganda: Home of the World
Our Team
Context
Our first project was a fundraiser and malaria awareness event timed to World Malaria Day, April 25, 2023.
Wefwafwa joined virtually while Rex hosted in-person at Saint Leo University.
Over 100 people attended, a GoFundMe raised $1,000, and Rex and Wefwafwa co-produced a short film documenting Wefwafwa's clinical work and mission: screened for students, alumni, and faculty on the night.
Rex Soderlund
United StatesCo-organized an in-person fundraising event with a team of six Saint Leo University Honors students, overseen by Dr. Timothy Jussaume.
UgandaWefwafwa Andrew
Appeared virtually to raise awareness for students, alumni, and faculty at Saint Leo University.
Completion Date
June 3, 2023
Fundraiser Goal Achieved
$1000
Uganda: Home of the World
What's an exonym?
An exonym is a name for a place given by outsiders and not what the people there call it themselves. Uganda's most well-known exonym is "the Pearl of Africa," a label coined by Winston Churchill. It's beautiful, but it belongs to someone else's perspective.
Why it matters.
The name we chose for this project comes from inside, from someone who lives there, works there, and is building something there. That felt like the right place to start.
So we asked Wefwafwa.
Rather than use a name inherited from colonial-era travel writing, Rex asked Wefwafwa what Uganda meant to him and to his community.
His answer: Home of the World.
A Community Gets Its First Microscope
Watch this video to see the fundraised clinical-grade microscope being delivered to Manafwa, Uganda. This microscope allows this community the ability to screen for malaria, TB, and UTIs on-site, for free.
The goal was simple: no one should go undiagnosed because they can't afford a test.