Mental Health Uganda has secured funding from VOICE to implement a project focused on normalizing mental health conversations in Jinja City through the “Social Contact” approach. Social Contact involves a dialogue between a person with lived experience of a mental health problem who has openly disclosed their condition (a mental health champion) and someone who has not disclosed or does not have such an experience.
The mental health champions are individuals who have faced and overcome mental health challenges and are now willing to share their stories to encourage others who are silently struggling to ‘Speak Up’ and to promote kindness among those without such challenges.
Champions will be selected from the MHU District Association, which includes users of psychiatric services, their caregivers, and service providers. They will undergo training to understand the facts and myths surrounding mental health, human rights in mental health, peer support, Psychological First Aid (PFA), and the identification and referral of mental health conditions. Following their training, these champions will lead Social Contact events in various settings.
The goal of Social Contact is to bridge the information gaps within the community and challenge the stigma surrounding mental health. By openly sharing their experiences, champions will demonstrate that mental health issues are no different from other health problems, reinforce the possibility of recovery, and inspire those affected to seek help, which is our ultimate aim.