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MPHL Alumni Impact Story: Peter Olet and the “One Chicken per Household” Innovation in Oyam District, northern Uganda

Peter Olet is an alumnus of the Master of Public Health Leadership (MPHL) programme at Uganda Christian University under Save the Mothers East Africa. With a background in education, Peter transitioned into health leadership as a facility administrator at Timagi Community Medical Care (TCMC) in Acaba Sub-county, Oyam District, Northern Uganda.

His journey into public health leadership was shaped by personal reflection and professional experience:

 

“I thought of how I could make myself better. I landed on the information for the MPHL training provided in Uganda Christian University and I enrolled on the program. Through the MPHL program I actually discovered I could champion change and change the lives of other people.”

From Experience to Action

At TCMC, Peter witnessed repeated maternal and newborn complications, including preventable deaths linked to delayed referrals, limited infrastructure, and resource constraints.

These experiences, combined with insights from his MPHL research on adolescent pregnancy in Acaba Sub-county, motivated him to think differently about health system strengthening at community level.

Rather than relying solely on external funding, Peter began exploring how communities themselves could contribute to improving their health facility.

It was through the MPHL programme that Peter’s leadership perspective shifted fundamentally from managing challenges to designing solutions.

Peter Olet reflects on how the MPHL programme shaped his leadership journey and enabled him to design community-driven solutions that improve maternal health services in Oyam District.

Watch Peter’s MPHL Leadership Journey

The “One Chicken per Household” Innovation

One of Peter’s most impactful innovations is the “One Chicken per Household” campaign—a community-driven health financing model designed to support the construction and development of Timagi Community Medical Care (TCMC).

The idea emerged from a simple observation: while many households had limited cash income, most owned at least one chicken. Peter and his team proposed that each household contribute one chicken or its equivalent value toward the development of the health facility.

With approximately 8,500 households in Acaba Sub-county, the model demonstrated significant potential for local resource mobilization while strengthening community ownership of health services.

At an estimated value of UGX 10,000 per chicken, the initiative represents a potential UGX 85 million community contribution toward improving maternal and general health services.

The campaign has since evolved into a structured community fundraising effort supported by local leaders, Village Health Teams, and a dedicated building committee.

Households
100
Value per chicken in UGX
100
UGX community contribution
1 M