Experts Tackle Mental Health Challenges Among Schoolchildren in Northern Uganda

Schoolchildren in the Acholi sub-region are grappling with serious mental health issues like anxiety, sadness, isolation, and even suicide attempts. These problems, linked to domestic conflicts and widespread poverty, are hindering their concentration and school performance.

Gilbert Omeda, coordinator of the Youth Mental Health Project, highlighted how high unemployment and economic hardships in areas like Gulu exacerbate these challenges. A situational analysis by SOS Children’s Villages in Gulu confirmed that learners need targeted interventions.

Launched three years ago by SOS Children’s Villages-Uganda and Mental Health Uganda, the project operates in eight schools across Gulu City and Wakiso district, including Ocer Campion Jesuit College, Gulu SS, St Joseph’s College Layibi, and Vanguard Primary School. It focuses on reducing stigma, providing psychosocial support, and training youth to handle peer issues preventively.

At Ocer Campion Jesuit College, teacher Robert Wathum noted the program’s success in creating reporting channels for bullying, stigma, and discrimination. The school now has safe houses and mental health champions equipped to counsel students with difficult behaviors, avoiding past rash decisions.

Gulu City’s Senior Health Educator, Toopiny Geoffrey Onyuta, stressed the need for parents and teachers to get involved, as home-originated issues combined with school stigma push vulnerable children into deeper distress. Stakeholders recently gathered at SOS Children’s Villages to discuss enhanced strategies.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)