Train Communities in Trauma Informed Care

Our work at Healing Together has shown us what happens when our commitment to healing ripples out to our communities and beyond. Our participants’ passion for healing themselves extends to their communities in ways that inspire and remind us of the power of doing this practice hand in hand with others.

In Uganda, a new radio show is spreading awareness about Healing and trauma informed approaches to community support. Through the radio show, our work has expanded to new communities far and wide. One listener reached out asking us to bring our programs to his community, leading to the training of 150 teachers and 500 community leaders. This training effort led to the creation of two monthly healing circles where participants can offer peer support to one another.

Participants pay visits to members of their community that are unable to make the in person circles due to age, disability, or other challenges, thus ensuring that every person  in their community has access to this work.

In Nepal, our trauma-informed trainings are inspiring educators to build bridges with youth in a society where young people are expected to be seen and not heard. With the support of their teachers and adult mentors, students are launching three dynamic clubs: Peer Support Club, Education Club, and Policy Making Club.

These clubs will be opportunities for youth to work directly with parents and educators to take charge of their learning and growth. This will also be an opportunity for the adults to witness the depth of wisdom and skill that their children have to offer.

Our vision is for these groups to be spaces where children can practice critical thinking and develop life skills such as cooperation and mutual support. This collaboration between children and adult educators is only the beginning of an initiative to develop youth led clubs in over thirty schools between this year and the next.

Thanks to your contributions, our Healing work is reaching folks far and wide and enabling people of all ages to engage in trauma-informed leadership in their communities.

Thanks to your generous support, Brendah, our Country Director in Uganda launched a mental health radio show to provide trauma informed care education and tools to folks across central and western Uganda who might not be able to access our trainings. 

What she didn't know was just how impactful her show would be.

Benson and his wife, Bonny, school teachers in a small rural town called Kisiizi, were listening to the radio show one night, hearing Brendah talk about how trauma can lead to cycles of harm within families and communities. They decided they needed to bring mental health training and healing to their community.

Kisiizi is a beautiful hillside town, famous for a tall waterfall whose powerful downpour can be heard even from a distance.

*** content warning: violence ***

Not long ago, families used to take unwed pregnant daughters to the top of the waterfall, pushing them to their death for the shame they brought to the family. A statue honoring the young women remains at the waterfall today, reminding visitors of the trauma and violence of this village's recent past.

After the radio show, Benson immediately reached out to Brendah on WhatsApp.

A few weeks later, Brendah arrived for the first Kisiizi community training, offering over 70 teachers and community leaders knowledge and skills in trauma-informed care. 

The next training was a few weeks later.  Over 80+ parents and caregivers -- husbands and wives -- along with health workers, faith leaders, and other community members, shared their deepest wounds and started to heal together.

"After the first day of the training, I decided not to beat my son that night," one brave father shared. "Instead, I apologized to him."

"We are all here for a reason," one of the faith leaders shared. "We are starting to heal together."

After that, Benson and Bonny formed a local healing committee of newly graduated Healing Advocates who will start training all of the school teachers in the region. 

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From one radio show a ripple effect has started.  Over 100 new Healing Advocates are now serving thousands of survivors, healing generations of violence.  And over 5 million people across Uganda are tuning in to hear Brendah talk about the importance of mental health in healing cycles of violence.

Thank you for your love, support, and advocacy.  It only takes one person to heal thousands.