Uganda has an international poverty rate of almost 60% as of 2019. With so many people living in poverty, the mental health crisis in Uganda is serious. Poverty raises rates of depression and anxiety, while Uganda’s history of civil conflict has also increased cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As one of the top six countries in Africa with the highest rates of people suffering from depressive disorders, Uganda’s mental health care system is overcrowded and struggling to keep up with the country’s needs.

However, programs have been developed to increase mental health resources in Uganda, such as YouBelong Uganda and Pamoja Afya Initiative.

YouBelong Uganda

Founded in 2016, YouBelong Uganda works to deinstitutionalize people from mental institutions and focus on support through the community. A major concern surrounding mental health resources in Uganda is that many people become trapped in institutional systems and are unable to reacclimate to their communities. YouBelong uses “The YouBelong linked model of engagement and care [to build] a bridge between the institution and the community.”

A key part of this is that YouBelong provides transport for people from institutions back to their communities. YouBelong also uses government resources to prepare the individual for community life and to prepare the community to best support the individual.

The YouBelong HOME is a section of YouBelong that focuses on addressing the inflow and outflow problems at the national mental institution. It works to reintegrate between 40 and 60 people a month from Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital back into their communities. To reduce inflow to the mental hospital, YouBelong is working to expand resources at local health centers to help people before they reach institutionalization.

YouBelong has several programs under its wing. These programs address issues such as inequalities in mental health care for women, early intervention for children experiencing mental health issues, psychosis and learning from the experiences of those in recovery. YouBelong Uganda is a large organization that works at many levels to increase access to mental health resources in Uganda.

Pamoja Afya Initiative

Pamoja Afya focuses on communities surrounding Uganda’s national parks and was founded in 2024. This organization operates on a much broader scale, covering topics such as water and sanitation, snakebite prevention and coexistence with wildlife. Among its many programs, Pamoja Afya Initiative also has a mental health program that provides targeted interventions to help communities.

The initiative brings awareness to youth in schools about disorders such as depression, substance abuse and PTSD. These awareness programs teach students emotional regulation, healthy coping mechanisms and relationship building. Pamoja Afya also works with teachers to foster a more emotionally safe learning environment. 

It equips teachers with the tools to support their students and themselves. The program also conducts mental health screenings and gives those diagnosed with mental health issues access to resources.

Conclusion

Programs like YouBelong Uganda and Pamoja Afya Initiative are helping bridge the gap in access to proper mental health resources that many Ugandan citizens lack. By giving small communities resources to address mental health problems early on, people are better able to cope with the growing mental health crisis. YouBelong then steps in to help reintegrate people into their communities and get the support they need.

Mental health resources in Uganda are few and far between, but certain organizations are working to increase access for more people.

– Kaitlyn Crane

Kaitlyn is based in Rohnert Park, CA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr