Mark Mukisa is a qualified teacher, Pastor, and Counselor holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, a Bachelors’s in Theology and Pastoral studies, a diploma in secondary education and has duly attended and completed courses in clinical and Christian Counselling. He has been a Youth Pastor at Watoto for 12 years and dealt with Counselling with youth and their parents. He has spoken in various camps, conferences, and school assemblies including universities. He has pastored a Watoto campus in the East of the city and is passionate about helping teenagers handle that period of storm and stress and helping parents to understand and parent these interesting individuals. He now runs a Counselling and wellness office in Naalya and ministers weekly at Real life church that is 70% community youth!
Phiona Bizzu
Phiona Bizzu is an energetic and motivated professional who since becoming Miss Uganda in 2012 has developed a mature and responsible approach to the projects she undertakes. These projects have ranged from working with teenage mothers, schoolgirls, and boys, special needs families, care leavers, and the government of Uganda. Her ability to work with all stakeholders has helped her make a positive impact on the projects she has undertaken.
Maurice Osire Tukei
Maurice Osire Tukei is a Clinical Psychologist.
He is a University Counselor and Lecturer at Clarke International University. He has trained in the field of Psychology starting with a Bachelor’s Degree in Community Psychology (BCP), followed by a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology (MSc. Clin. Psy) both at Makerere University, Kampala. He has also trained in other therapeutic approaches, including; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Tf-CBT), Psychological Interviewing, and HIV/AIDS Counseling, among others.
Maurice has practiced in different clinical settings including; International Hospital Kampala, International Medical Centers, and currently at International Diagnostic Center and Quick Care Clinic – Bugolobi where he is involved in Private Practice.
He also carries out Mental Health-related training as well as Clinical supervision.
Susan Ajok
Susan Ajok is a Global Public Health Specialist with specific competencies in child protection, child safeguarding, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, social and behavior change communication, family planning, and HIV/AIDs prevention. Susan has over 20 years of practical experience in Africa working directly on programs for children and adolescent sexual and reproductive health. She worked with Straight Talk Foundation, a Ugandan Not for Profit from 1998 to 2020.
Grace Atim
Grace Atim is a Counseling Psychologist and founder of Springs of Grace Elementary school. She holds an MSc in counselling Psychology and has 28 years experience of working with vulnerable groups in Uganda. Grace has worked in the field of addiction therapy and rehabilitation for 16 years. She currently works with Child’s i Foundation as lead Mental health consultant, and Tranquil homes (Addiction Treatment Centre). She is passionate about young people living empowered and meaningful life.
Judah Boulet
Judah Boulet is a former educator and former fitness and wellness small business owner, with graduate degrees in both business administration/management and pharmacology/toxicology. He is driven to be in service to others, and make an impact on the world. His passion for health and wellness, and being a father to two young boys, he understands the crucial nature or proper mental health development. Outside of working with No Limit Generation, he is a collegiate rugby coach, and a mentor for SCORE RI.
Reclaiming Hope and Belonging for Youth Leaving Institutional Care in Uganda
Currently, an estimated 50,000 children live in institutions and orphanages throughout Uganda. Children living in an institution often experience abuse, cruelty, and/or neglect that impacts their mental health. When children age out of institutionalized care systems they are ill-equipped to manage their mental health and have not developed the necessary life skills to live independently. Between 80-90% of Ugandan children in orphanages have families they have been separated from due to an inability to provide the medical, educational, and social services that the child needs.
Attachment is a necessary and inevitable part of human development. A young child’s attachment to their caregiver(s) determines how they form relations as children, adults, and with themselves, as well as their self-image and sense of belonging/purpose. These relationships are key to how children, young people, and, in particular, care leavers (children who have aged out of orphanages) might cope with and recover from trauma.
We know that children develop best and reach their full potential when they live in family environments.
No Limit Generation, Child’s i Foundation, and Makerere University have teamed up on a project delivering mental health care to institutionalized children, caregivers, and Ugandan orphanages. The project is the result of a Canada Grand Challenges grant that seeks scalable and youth-led solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The Project aims to increase the availability of mental health services, curb the spread of orphanages and support vulnerable children and care leavers with the family and community support they need to succeed. Currently, less than 1% of the Uganda national health budget is allocated to mental health.
This project is unique in that the curriculum was designed using feedback from the youth, and their perspective of the challenges that they faced and has a human-centered communication process. The focus is a three-pronged approach in demonstrating an alternative to orphanages. First, an emphasis on prevention by working with the government to strengthen services that can respond to families in need. Second, creating a foster care type system for children who are unable to return to their families of origin, preferably in locations near their biological families. Kafalah is the Islamic practice of guardianship of orphaned children. Third, helping orphanages transition to non-residential community centers to assist families and help prevent separation
