Uzima Empowerment Ltd is a non-profit organisation with the intention to improve mental health and to reduce stigma attached to mental health problems, working towards the prevention and response mechanisms through creating safe and open spaces where adults and children can walk in with assurance of receiving mental health support.
Vision
To create more accessibility to open and safe spaces for children, youth and adults to walk in for mental health support and ensuring the victim protection system. Working towards increasing accessibility to treatment and support services for survivors coping with mental health problems.
Mission
To holistically improve the mental well-being of people and enhance understanding the link between physical and mental health.
To provide psychosocial support to patients living with mental health problems and neurological related conditions.
To also empower their families and strive towards reducing the stigma attached to mental health and neurological disorders.
Summary
Mental health is the pivot of human life. In Uganda it keeps being largely neglected by the public health sector and is barely addressed by only one mental hospital plus a few psychiatrists serving the entire country. Uganda’s too fast growing population and a multitude of uncontrolled natural and human factors increase this huge health threat.
Through this need Uzima Empowerment arose during the pandemic and takes up the challenge to at least address all the mentally suffering. Uzima Empowerment does not only counsel mental patients, youth and children but aims to empower first line professionals (such as police, local leaders, teachers, journalists) and second line medicals (such as first-aid helpers, nurses, doctors, health team members). Throughout and alongside the previous, Uzima Empowerment embarks on raising awareness for mental health within the communities.
In the long run also a network of Uzima Empowerment Houses is to be installed, offering safe shelter for both counseling and rehabilitation of mental patients.