Uganda Mental Health Fellowship (Atanekontola)
This is a community based organization which was formed in 1998 by parents, mental health patients, health workers and well wishers to support people with mental health problems in Uganda.
Doctor Emmanuel Mufumba (the Health Director of the Peace for Paul Foundation) has been instrumental in this project and has helped to make life better for many misunderstood patients with mental health issues in Uganda.
The word atenkontola means “he who has not stamped the toe does not know the pain”.
Following is a description of this group and project, written by one of it’s members, Deborah Mudoda:
Because we have known the pain, we came up with this organization to improve on the well being of the patients, care takers and the community at large.
We have achieved this by counseling both the patients and the caretaker, weekly support meetings, sharing of experiences, provision of medical care, home visiting, activities (such as music, dance, drumming, arts and crafts), encouragement of small daily income generating activities, radio talk shows on mental health and sharing of testimonies.
One achievement which we are very proud of is the construction of a permanent mental health structure where can all gather together. This has been accomplished over many years with help from the mental health patients themselves, Holy Cross church in Uganda, and supporters from the U.S. Many community members laughed at us and said we would never succeed, but we finally are on our way!
We still have a long way to go and it is our appeal to every well wisher to give us a hand. We are now working toward completion of this building and in starting up other facilities which the patients can use to generate income for themselves and their families. We would be very grateful to anyone who would like to join us and we welcome everyone. Thank you very much and WE LOVE YOU ALL!
Click here to view:
If you are interested in getting involved with this project, please
