International Women’s Day Discussion Initiated by YouBelong Uganda Women For Women Group

A report on the women in recovery group discussions conducted by the YouBelong Uganda Women for Women Group (WFW) in partnership with the Occupational Therapy Department at Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital on March 5, 2024.

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The WFW Group, in collaboration with the Occupational Therapy Department of Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, facilitated group discussions based on the topic; the importance of participation and engagement in income-generation. The discussion was an activity to celebrate the International Women’s Day, and the objectives were;

1. To encourage women recovering from severe mental illness to be active participants in their recovery.
2. To show the relevance of income generation and participation in recovery.
3. To explore challenges and myths attached to participation and income generation among women.

16 women in recovery on the convalescent wards of the Butabika National Referral Mental hospital, Kampala, Uganda were divided into two groups, and each group was facilitated by a WFW team member. The occupational therapist co-facilitated in one of the groups. The group discussion lasted for an hour. The group discussions were particularly focused on the empowerment of women. During the discussions, two women in recovery who had previously been a part of the YouBelongHOME program shared their lived experience of severe mental illness, focusing on their journey of engagement in income-generation.

The participants mentioned several ways that they participate in their families and communities, and it was noted that a significant number of the participants have to balance multiple productive roles simultaneously. Activities engaged in range from house chores like house cleaning, washing utensils, cooking, washing clothes, and subsistence farming to income-generating activities like weaving mats and baskets, coffee growing, and laundry services.

The discussion showed that women’s participation and engagement in income-generation enable them to support and care for themselves and their children by providing food for their families, paying medical bills, and paying school fees for their children.

“I have been growing sugar cane, raised my 7 children and paid for their school fees. Now if I get sick, they send me money to go to the hospital” said a 60-year-old female recovering from severe mental illness.

More to that, the women believed that their participation and engagement in income-generation had earned them respect and dignity from the community members. As women living with severe mental illness, engagement in income-generation is one way they deal with the stigma and discrimination generated by their families and community.

Despite the fact that participation in family and community activities and engagement in income-generation aids recovery for people living with severe mental illness, the discussion with the women indicated that they face a number of challenges.

The side effects of medication, including general body weakness and excessive sleep, make them inefficient at work. They are thought to be lazy and less motivated to work.

Participants mentioned that there is job insecurity when a person living with mental illness relapses, and they have to leave work for a few months. There is uncertainty of whether they will retain their jobs. The majority of the participants preferred being self-employed or running a personal business because employers have limited knowledge on how to support employees living with mental illness.

The stigma generated by the community members is a barrier to effective participation. Community members fear hiring women with mental illness because it is believed that they are under performers.

A participant, 30-year-old said, “People think that we are dirty and just irresponsible.”

The participants mentioned that the names which they are given in the community lead to an inferiority complex, hence limited participation in activities.

“They call me a pig, a monkey… even my parents. They say that the world is tired of me. I don’t know why they treat me like that.” A 20-year-old participant said.

The discussion showed the effect of the patriarchal norms and values on women’s mental health. A participant mentioned that she worked hard and bought land, but her husband does not allow her to use it the way she would want to. She said that she felt cheated and disrespected by her husband, and she longed for revenge.

More to that, much as the participants showed that income is a resource for them to effectively fulfil their reproductive roles, some are denied this opportunity to use their resource to care for their children.

A 35-year-old lamented, “I have been working so hard for my children, but their paternal family came and took them away, it discouraged me so much. It even caused me mental illness. You work for your children, yet you are not sure they will stay with you. They can take them away anytime.”

It is believed in the community that women gossip a lot when they get an opportunity to meet with other women. Some women mentioned that their family members are not comfortable with them getting jobs away from their homes because they might use it as an opportunity to gossip.

Amid the challenges faced by women, the participants recognized that there is a need for access to information about the available economic and financial resources. In addition, women living with severe mental illness need to be equipped with more skills for income-generation and supported to retain those skills, considering that severe mental illness affects functionality.

Key observations by the team

1. Participants were inspired by the stories of lived experiences. Some individuals said that the stories restored their hope for recovery.
2. The participants contributed passionately to the topic for discussion and we observed that they resonated with the gender issues.
3. Regular group discussions are seen by the YouBelong Uganda WFW Group as an avenue to increase the number of women in recovery for psychoeducation and mutual support from other women before discharge.
4. There is a need to work with the families of the women in recovery in order to get tangible results out of the discussions.

Authors: Nsangi Birungi Ethel & Wanyenze Winnie