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Kyarimpa curbing mental health among Ugandans

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By Lillian Ntege

An estimated 14 million Ugandans suffer from mental health disorders. This is according to a 2022 Ministry of Health and Uganda Counselling Association report.

Rose Kyarimpa, a professional counsellor, says these statistics are of people who have been to health facilities.
Kyarimpa says the figure could have doubled for the past year.

As a survivor, Kyarimpa envisions the dilemma those who are not able to access help go through.

That is the reason she is doing whatever it takes to help those facing mental health challenges find the support they deserve.

Kyarimpa founded Buhumuriro Counselling Centre, a non-profit organisation based in Kacence West, Kakika division in Mbarara city.

The organisation also has its presence in Bunamywaya, Kampala.

Kyarimpa addresses a gathering during a community outreach. (Photo/Courtesy)

Why mental health?
Kyarimpa suffered depression for over 10 years; a condition that almost claimed her life.

“I was diagnosed with depression when I was 20 years in 2008. I was still studying. I did not manage to get counselling until I got a volunteer from Church who gave me free counselling sessions,” she says.

When she partially healed, Kyarimpa decided to pursue a career in Guidance and Counselling. She enrolled for a degree in the same at Bishop Stuart University.

According to Kyarimpa, going back to school was therapeutic because she was able to heal completely.

During her time at school, Kyarimpa would move in communities, giving one-on-one counselling sessions to those in need.

When she graduated in 2021, she started to offer professional counselling sessions at her centre.

Because she was already known in several communities, patients started to look for her services at the centre where she would meet them privately.

She says stress was the most common case. Other mental health disorders she has attended to include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, and developmental disorders like autism.

Kyarimpa says most of the mental health problems are characterised by abnormal behaviours, perceptions, emotions, behaviour and relationship with others.

Rose Kyarimpa

More services
Kyarimpa’s counselling centre offers stress and depression management, relationship counselling, career guidance, behavioural change, Family Therapy, HIV/AIDs counselling, parenting skills, and crisis counselling, among others.

They also offer mental health assessment, rehabilitation and detoxification for drug abuse and addictions such as alcohol, marijuana, heroin, Cocaine, cigarettes and more.

To enhance their services, Kyarimpa and her team have sensitisation programmes conducted through various community outreaches.

“We meet up over 50 people on a monthly at our offices, while for outreaches we meet between 200 and 1,000 people,” Kyarimpa says.

They move to communities, schools, Churches and different organisations, teaching people about mental health and how to manage stress and its related outcomes.

Among the schools visited are: Kinoni High School, Mbarara Modern Secondary School, Mbarara Institute for Social Development, Votesa College, and Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

Kyarimpa says she follows up with patients until she confirms they have fully recovered.

Success story
From the time she established the centre, Kyarimpa says more than 100 people have been healed.

Shilla Kamugisha, one of Kyarimpa’s beneficiaries, says she learned about Buhumuriro Counselling Centre in 2021 when she suffered depression.

“Having lost my family, I was extremely depressed and had completely lost hope. I had started abusing drugs and I was almost about to commit suicide,” Kamugisha says.

However, she reveals that after talking with a friend, she (her friend) recommended Kyarimpa as the best person to talk to.

Kamugisha confesses that ever since she started her counselling sessions, she has found herself gradually healing; developed positive attitude towards life, and now has hope for a better future.

“I had lost hope, but I am now a happy person living with purpose. I will always treasure Buhumuriro Counselling Centre,” Kamugisha says.

Challenges faced
Like any other community-based non-profit organisation, Kyarimpa says they struggle with financial instability.

“Doing outreaches require a lot of money which we lack at times. Because of this, we are not able to move in many communities,” Kyarimpa says.

She also notes that due to deep cultural beliefs, it is hard to convince some community members that mental disorders require professional help like any other sickness.

She says many people still think mental health is caused by witchcraft or curses. And because of that, the victims are always stigmatised and abandoned, thereby worsening their conditions and delaying the healing process.

Prospects
Kyarimpa says the centre has an expansion plan.

“I dream of extending our services all over Uganda and East Africa if possible,” Kyarimpa says.

She says their wish is to build a training centre to equip others with counselling skills. She further reveals that they plan to open up bigger rehabilitation centre.

Kyarimpa encourages everyone going through mental health challenges to seek professional help because it is treatable.

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