In 2020, Mental Health Uganda (MHU) entered into a partnership with Mental Helse Ungdom Norway to implement the “Amplifying the Voices of Young People with Mental Health Issues in Uganda.”
The 5 year project facilitates change in access to mental health services by providing a toll-free (0800 21 21 21) national phone counselling service targeting young persons (15-35 years) with mental health issues and their potential caretakers, providing counselling and referral services over the phone.
Since its inception in May 2021,the helpline has seen great strides, supporting over 1500 young people with mental health support.
On Friday 22nd April the Norway team visted the project and it was quite an exciting day, we both put faces to the names and voices which we would previously only hear during online meetings and interactions due to Covid-19 restrictions on international travel.
It was quite a happy site.
The team members all split up and interacted within their specified departments, communications and fundraising, finance and administration, management and programs teams to share experiences and engage in discussions on the betterment of the work both here and in Norway
Some of the team members during a group discussion 
The finance team including David, Patience and Katinka 
Aida interacting with some of the agents who handle the telecounseling service 
Selena and Elsie sharing about the set up of the system and best practices 
The communications and fundraising team with Geraldine, Sandra and Jonathan
The Norway Team was hosted to a dinner by the MHU team where they shared experiences shared a meal and cut cake.
The Norway team met with the reference group members and some representatives from the MHU board of directors before they embarked on a journey to Gulu to meet the SOS team to discuss the new project that will start in January 2023.
The mission to Uganda was successful and we are confident that the partnership is growing stronger towards sustainability and betterment of mental health in Uganda. We are thankful for the continued partnership with Youth Mental Health Norway, the Atlas Alliance and NORAD.