I was born in Gulu Northern Uganda in November 1969, now living in the Northwest of England. For over 20 years, Gulu located in Northern Uganda suffered a significant long lasting civil war. The prolonged conflict was characterised with violence and displacement of people in the region. This has had a profound impact on the mental health of the population in Gulu and the surrounding regions. As a result, Gulu has the highest rate of mental illness in Uganda, with many individuals experiencing a range of mental disorders as a direct consequence of the conflict.
Provision of mental health services in Gulu is overly whelmed by the population needs and lack mental health regional hospital. Patients travel 335km for treatment at a major mental health referral hospital in Kampala. Through this fundraising drive the funds will go towards training and supporting community health proffessionals on trauma-informed care, community based intervention and psychosocial support to promote recovery in Gulu.