Farsight and Alongside Africa, two UK charities and members of Uganda Networks, will be coming together to run a workshop in Uganda in February concentrating on mental health issues. Lydia Miller, Director and Founder of Farsight contacted Alongside Africa Uganda and Alongside Africa in the UK after finding them on Uganda Networks. After a meeting with Lawrance Titterton, Chairman of Alongside Africa, it became clear that there were many synergies between the work of the two organisations and they agreed to explore ways of working together.
On a forthcoming trip to Uganda Lydia will be travelling to Kabale in the far south west of the country to spend time at the Amasiko Street Children programme where she will be able to advise staff and volunteers, and then will facilitate workshop for Alongside Africa Uganda staff and other community representatives covering such topics as:
- An introduction to common mental health disorders & how they manifest / signs and symptoms.
- Providing in community care for those with mental health disorders.
- Challenging stigma and discrimination in the community.
This workshop will be particularly relevant to Alongside Africa Uganda as they deal with children from troubled backgrounds on a daily basis within an environment that regards such children as a problem rather than people who require additional love and attention.
Alongside Africa Uganda in turn will mobilise the local community in order that the skills and knowledge gained on the workshop can be shared as widely as possible.
This initiative, which both organisations hope will be the first of many interactions, would have happened without Uganda Networks.