Stuart Kasule, an Australian-based advocate for mental health, has returned to Uganda with the goal of spearheading initiatives in suicide prevention.
In collaboration with Rotary International and Omuntu Wawansi Organisation, Kasule’s brainchild campaign, “Hope for Life Uganda,” aims to shed light on mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Having personally experienced the devastating effects of losing a family member to suicide and battling his own suicidal thoughts while facing financial struggles as a foreign student abroad, Kasule has since become a recognized figure in mental health advocacy in Australia. Now equipped with extensive knowledge in mental health and training in suicide prevention, he is focusing on implementing suicide prevention measures in his home country.
His initiative, the “Hope For Life” project spanning three years, involves securing resources to train various stakeholders, including the media, in handling mental health cases.
Kasule has garnered support from LivingWorks Australia, an international organization that will provide training models for use in Uganda, marking their first engagement in Africa for suicide prevention modules.
Additionally, part of the campaign includes organizing a run aimed at spreading awareness about mental health and suicide prevention to diverse stakeholders.
Since returning to Uganda, Kasule has engaged with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and held discussions with Minister for Primary Healthcare Hon Margret Muhanga, both of whom have shown interest in supporting the “Hope for Life” campaign.
Uganda, like many other developing nations, faces a significant burden of mental health disorders. A Ministry of Health report highlighted that up to 14 million Ugandans suffer from some form of mental disorder, with the country ranking among the top six in Africa for rates of depressive disorders.
Partnering with Stuart Kasule, Andrew Kyamagero, the head of Omuntu Wa Wansi Organization, aims to address the prevalent mental health challenges in Uganda, especially among men. Kyamagero stresses the need for policy changes, including the decriminalization of suicide, to encourage mental health victims to speak out without fear.