Summary

During July 2024–June 2025, YouBelong Uganda continued to strengthen community based mental health care by promoting dignity, belonging, and recovery for people living with mental health conditions. The organisation focused on reducing stigma, supporting families, and improving access to care through collaboration with government, health facilities, schools, and community leaders. A key area of work was the SCAPE U research project, which shows how people with lived experience of psychosis can play a powerful role as peer supporters, improving recovery outcomes and strengthening mental health services at community and primary health care levels.
YouBelong Uganda also expanded practical programs that directly support children, women, families, and communities. These included early mental health support for school going children through the PowerfulMinds programme, safe reintegration of people recovering from severe mental illness back into family life through the YouBelongHome programme, advocacy for women and girls affected by violence, youth consultation groups, community radio mental health education, and engagement with faith and traditional leaders. Together, these efforts demonstrate YouBelong Uganda’s commitment to inclusive, culturally responsive, and sustainable mental health care rooted in community partnership and lived experience.