Engaging the community on Bubeke Island
From May 26th to 30th, 2025, the Target Malaria Uganda Stakeholder Engagement team at Uganda Virus Research Institute conducted a week-long engagement on Bubeke Island on Lake Victoria in Kalangala district.
This field activity attracted community leaders, opinion leaders, sub-county officials, youth, women’s groups, and health workers to share updates, clarify concerns, and enhance project visibility. The community renewed its commitment to the research project by signing the agreement. This is an annual consent process formalized through a signed agreement by local leaders who represent the community, following a process of consultation and engagement as outlined in the project’s guideline.
The visit also focused on explaining mosquito collection methods; specifically, the Biogents BG-sentinel traps. The sessions encouraged open dialogue, where participants asked direct questions about mosquito behavior and the progress of the contained use studies of the paternal male bias mosquitoes. The team provided clear responses, supported by visual aids to enhance understanding.
Besides the discussions, the team organized a football and netball gala over two days, drawing large crowds and creating a platform for informal engagement.
This visit showed that when we engage with the community, people feel part of this scientific effort to combat malaria and understand the objectives of the research activities. As Target Malaria Uganda, we remain committed to working in a respectful and open way, with the community always involved.
