Sister Irene, Sister in Charge
Sister Irene comes from Iganga District in Busoga and is one of a large family. Her father had more that one wife and Irene was one of 22 children. Irene's own mother died when she was 6 and she was brought up by her father. His job as a gombolola chief (local government official) meant that the family moved around and Irene attended several different primary schools in the area. She started her secondary education as a day pupil at Jinja Girl's Secondary School before going to Wanyangi School as a boarder in Senior 4.
After leaving school Irene joined the Mengo (Church of Uganda) Hospital School of Nursing to train as an enrolled nurse and she worked there for two years before undertaking further training to become a Registered Nurse. Irene then did her midwifery training at Nsambya RC Hospital and then moved back to nurse at Mengo for a further period. In 1997 Irene moved to work for a Reproductive Health Project run by Busoga Diocese. The funding for the came to an end in 2002 but Irene continued the work on as a volunteer until she came to Rushere in October 2003.
Irene's sister had told her about the job at Rushere after hearing the former Director, Joan Hall, talking about the need for Christian nurses at Rushere, at a fellowship meeting in Namirembe. Irene felt that God was asking her to consider working at Rushere and after meeting with Joan Hall in Kampala, she came to the hospital for an interview and was appointed as Sister in Charge.
From 2006 - 2008 Irene studied for a Bachelor of Nursing Degree at Uganda Christian University, Mukono, and graduated in June 2008.
As a child, Irene was taken to church regularly by her father and they prayed at home. When she was a teenager, her faith became real to her after her sister and a school friend talked to her about their spiritual experiences. Irene saw that she needed to accept Christ as her Saviour and follow Him. Since that time she has felt it important to meet regularly with other Christians in order to grow in her faith. She has taken an active part in Fellowship meetings at church and in the places where she has worked. After coming to Rushere she helped to start a Luganda service at the Cathedral and she is one of the staff who leads Morning Prayers at the hospital.
When she was younger Irene had prayed about the direction for her life and felt that it was God's will that she would serve Him as a single person. She met George through fellowship meetings in the Jinja area and when he asked her to marry him she felt that she needed time to make a decision. She prayed and received guidance through visions and talking to friends and after 7 months accepted George's proposal. They were married in November 2003, shortly after Irene had strarted her work at the hospital and George joined her at Rushere.
Irene desires that the hospital will develope as a place that offers a quality service and that patients and staff will come to know the Lord. She would like to see more members of staff come to the fellowship meeting on Sunday evenings.