ARUA DIOCESE EMBARKS ON MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION

Students of Bishop Angelo Tarantino Memorial Secondary School during the mental health outreach. All photos by Anslem Ojaru

By Anslem Ojaru

Arua City

Arua diocese has rolled out the catholic mental health ministry which aims at providing vital spiritual accompaniment and pastoral care to people experiencing mental health challenges and mental illness.

A team from the diocesan ministry visited Bishop Angelo Tarantino memorial secondary school as one of their pioneer outreach to guide and help the students on how to handle and overcome stress and depression.

The Diocesan coordinator of mental health ministry Kennedy Amayo says the youths especially those in schools are victims of mental health thus the need to support them in overcoming barriers that hinder their education.

“Young people go through a lot of things at the adolescent stage, issues of relationship some people stay with relatives or people who are not their biological parents, relatives and you find that these people go through a lot, there is that psychological torture, that feeling of rejection that people go through and the church wants to bridge the gap that people need to have the sense of belonging, acceptance that they are loved and they can still find help within the church”

Rev Sister Leonora Torach a member of the catholic mental health ministry
speaking to the students.

Some of the students at the school also shared their experience on how this has helped them overcome trauma and stigmatizing

One student only identified as Proscovia reveals that the outreach has given her hope to overcome stigma.

“For me I assumed I am useless  because of my home background, am the only educated person in my family so I assumed  my future will be like theirs, it has really helped me a lot, the guidance and counselling I got has really given me hope that I can do something.”

Another student also revealed that, “Personally I am not a Ugandan, am a so Sudan, I left the country 8years ago, I came here because I was pushed to come to Uganda sometimes am that person who is victim of trauma but then the impact of this outreach in my life is it has changed me, sometimes when I look at some of the stress you be like no I need not stress myself.”
 
The patron of guidance and counseling at the school Feni Apollo Emmanuel says they have plans of involving key stakeholders in issues concerning mental health.
Feni revealed that, “we will also go and talk to these students when they go home for holidays and I think that way when we talk to the parents concerning all these, it will improve the life of the learners and even the parents themselves.”

Daniel Drileba Dratibi the executive director of voice of restoration International one of the facilitators at the outreach, re-echoed the need to end stigma around mental health.

“There is no health without mental health, it begins with mental health so mental health is not because of a crime but let’s break the stigma around mental health issues , lets seek for help and let’s get treatment otherwise recovery is possible,” Drileba assured the students.

Daniel Drileba Dratibi the ED, Voice of Restoration International.

The catholic mental health ministry in Arua diocese aims at extending mental health support to all the schools, health centers and parishes that are within the Diocese to bring a sense of belonging to all Christians.
 

Written by admin