Psychosocial disabilities are common in Uganda and thousands of people struggle with mental health challenges without special attention to it, causing stigma, exclusion, and suffering.
To curb this, three districts including Jinja, Mukono, and Buikwe, have joined forces to improve support for affected individuals.
Leaders from these districts met at Contra Hotel in Njeru, Buikwe District, to discuss ways to ensure that people with psychosocial disabilities are included in all aspects of society.
The meeting was part of a project called “Our Voices Matter,” which aims to empower affected individuals through awareness, capacity-building, and participation in decision-making.
The project follows the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Uganda has signed.
It is led by Triumph Uganda, a mental health support organisation, along with ‘My Story’ Initiative and Uganda Mental Health Fellowship, with funding from the Disability Rights Fund.
Buikwe’s Senior Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Moses Nagaya, said that psychosocial challenges affect many Ugandans due to social, political, and financial struggles.
He urged the government to allocate more funding to organisations that support mental health.
Robinah Alambuya Nakanwagi, founder of Triumph Uganda, emphasized that psychosocial disabilities are not inherited but result from life pressures such as poverty, job loss, torture, or bereavement.
“When trauma escalates, it leads to mental health challenges that society often labels as ‘madness,’” she said.
Struggle Against Stigma
A legal consultant with Save the Children, Oscar Walukhu Wakooli, noted that discrimination is a major barrier to inclusion.
He pointed out that some service providers use demeaning language when referring to people with psychosocial disabilities, making it harder for them to seek help.
While Uganda has disability planning guidelines, Wakooli said there are no specific policies addressing psychosocial disabilities, leaving a major gap in support.
Despite the challenges, there are success stories. Solomon Kisakye, a former psychosocial disability patient, shared his journey of recovery.
Now a successful pig farmer in Nkokonjeru, Kisakye recalled how he was once isolated by his community.
“People used to stop their children from associating with me, even though I was never violent,” he said, adding that many individuals go to her for advice on pig farming.
The meeting marked an important step towards breaking stigma and improving support for people with psychosocial disabilities.
Participants urged the government and society to recognise mental health as a critical issue and ensure affected individuals are included in development plans.
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