Browsing by Author "Venesio, Bwambale Bhangyi"

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A collaborative agenda for health and well-being in Uganda : Medical social workers working with a community church
(Taylor & Francis Group, 2023) Venesio, Bwambale Bhangyi; Denis, Kilama; Sophia, Namuwanga; Friday, Toko; Senkosi, Moses Balyejjusa
According to the National Association of Social Workers (2017), the primary mission of the social work profession is to promote human well-being through adequate satisfaction of human needs, especially the needs of the poor and vulnerable populations. This primary mission in part is related to one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), that is, SDG 3 that focuses on health and well-being. To promote the achievement of this SDG, the Medical Social Work Department at the Naguru China-Uganda Friendship Hospital started a collaboration with Lugogo Baptist Church so as to meet the needs of patients at this hospital. The collaboration was grounded in the fact that in resource- poor countries, there will be needs that are inadequately satisfied. Yet, the inadequate satisfaction of the human needs negatively affects individual’s health and well-being. The chapter starts with a brief background on medical social work practice in Uganda. Here, the history and the role of medical social work are discussed. This is followed by an analysis of domestication of the SDGs in Uganda. The analysis shows that SDGs are domesticated in Uganda through the National Development Plans (NDPs) which are rooted in the Vision 2040. Currently, Uganda is pursuing and implementing the NDP III. A description of the col- laborative agenda between the Medical Social Work department and Lugogo Baptist Church is given. It is shown that it is a mutual collaboration where each party has their roles and responsibilities to meet the well-being needs clearly spelt out. A human needs framework is described where the meaning of human needs and specific examples are given. The human needs that are met through this framework are analyzed. This is followed by the discussion of the achieved health and well-being and the shared roles of the collaborative framework. It is concluded that because of the benefits from this collaboration, medical social workers should engage in collaborations with local and community actors to improve social work interventions since these have critical resources that are plenty, accessible and trusted.
Indigenous social work with older persons: An international perspective
(Sage Journals, 2023-02) Venesio, Bwambale Bhangyi
As social work gains strength as a global profession, indigenous social work has emerged within the growing calls to decolonize the profession and offers an alternative worldview. This article uses a systematic literature review to engage with the application of this indigenous social work paradigm in practice with older persons from an international perspective. Using the knowledge mobilization perspective, it examines the current state of knowledge on indigenous social work and draws implications for practice with older persons. It concludes by advocating for a political stance to practice rooted in indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.
Towards developing ethical capacities in social work practice in Africa: Case study and critical commentary from Uganda
(Sage Journals, 2022-11) Venesio, Bwambale Bhangyi
This article engages with a case study situated in a public social service system in Uganda, Africa. Through case analysis, I highlight the complexities related to professional ethics in social work practice in Africa and argue that efforts to promote ethics, human rights and social justice in this context require creativity, innovation and activism to confront structural conditions that trap people in unjust circumstances. While building ethical capabilities demands grounding practice in the global social work principles, additional infusion of ubuntu ethics and African social work platforms for sharing experiences and actions are needed.
Transforming communities through Ubuntu philosophy: prerequisites, opportunities, and implications for social work practice in Africa
(The International Federation of Social Workers, 2023-06) Venesio, Bwambale Bhangyi; Silverno, Tweshengyereze; Hope, Atim; Moses, Senkosi Balyejjusa
The African philosophy of Ubuntu has emerged as a counterweight strategy to the pervasive consequences of long-term individualism entrenched in African social work because of its western origins. This chapter contends that African social workers can utilise Ubuntu philosophy in transforming poor communities and building resilient societies. This requires understanding the principles of Ubuntu and its embeddedness in African cultures as necessary prerequisites for this transformation. Its emphasis on collectivism as social capital, interconnectedness, and equality of human beings can be used to transform poor communities, thereby creating enormous opportunities for social work practitioners in Africa to enrich the lives of their clients. By implication, African social work practice is asked to promote bottom-up community-led interventions built on local voices/experiences. Keywords: Ubuntu philosophy, social work theory, community transformation, resilient communities, indigenous social work, decolonial social work, Africa