The founders of Interface Uganda are Andrew and Sarah Hodges – Andrew worked as general surgeon and Sarah as an anaesthetist in the West of Uganda from 1992-1998.
They worked in a Church of Uganda hospital for the Church Missionary Society (CMS).
Patients needing plastic surgery were often left untreated as there was no national reconstructive service. Therefore they started to treat these patients in Kagando hospital. Once a few were treated they became aware of the huge need nationwide for reconstructive surgery.
Andrew was taught by visiting plastic surgeon Tim Goodacre before returning to England to undertake a 6 year training programme in plastic surgery at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. On leaving Uganda many hospitals requested further assistance and so the charity was born in 2001.
Andrew and Sarah returned to Uganda in 2004, and they now both work at CoRSU hospital, near Kampala, where they continue to work with, and help with training programmes for Ugandan medical staff.
Since it started Interface Uganda has funded visits each year from specialists as well as supporting Ugandan staff and funding patients’ treatment, transport, surgical and rehabilitation costs.