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Lindsey Wilson College professors Daniel and Jennifer Williamson are evangelists for mental health. Early this sum-mer, they spread the gospel of good mental health in Uganda

by working with an LWC alumnus to expand mental-healthopportunities to residents of the East African nation.

The two associate professors of counseling and humandevelopment spent a month with LWC alum-nus Ronald Kaluya, who has established adynamic counseling center in his native of Bulike.

The Williamsons work was part of aFulbright Specialists Project, a program fund-ed by the Fulbright Scholar Program that pro-vides short-term academic opportunities for U.S. faculty and professionals to work with

postsecondary institutions around the world.We were not there to fix mental disabili-

ties, Daniel Williamson said. We were attempting to help people discover a better quality of life.

During their month in Uganda, the Williamsons worked atUganda Christian University in Mukono and then Uganda

Counseling and Support Services in Bulike, which Kaluyaoperates.

At Uganda Christian University, the Williamsons trainedmore than 50 mental health facilitators in conjunction withthe National Board for Certified Counselors International andthe Uganda Counseling and Support Services.

The goal was to go into the universi-ty and train and teach people in the men-tal consoling field. We taught in primi-tive classrooms with blackboard slatesand had close to 20 people in everyclass, Daniel Williamson said. Oncewe fulfilled that obligation, we went intothe village and started doing work inBulike and helping Ronalds organiza-tion. Bulike was a village that wasalmost forgotten, people in Uganda did

not even quite know where it was.Kaluya, who founded Uganda Counseling and Support

Services with his wife, Ronah, said the Williamsons visitwas a tremendous experience for our village.

Professors Partner with Alumnus to ImproveQuality of Life in Ugandan Village

Some of the children Bulike, Uganda, home of LWC alumnus Ronald Kaluya, where LWC professors Daniel and Jennifer Williamson visited as part of a Fulbright Specialists Project.

They changed so manylives during their visit. I can-not begin to express howmuch they did to help thepeople of my village.

Ronald Kaluya,Uganda Counseling and

Support Services

S PREADING G OOD M ENTAL H EALTH

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They changed so many lives during their visit, Kaluyasaid during a recent visit to Columbia. I cannot begin toexpress how much they did to help the people of my village.

To described the 5,000-resident Bulike as being located ina remote area of Uganda would be an understatement.

The village of Bulike is about five hours away from thecapital, Kampala, and about four hours from university inMukono, Jennifer Williamson said. You take a left at thevillage of Jinja and then drive three hours into an area that

was previously rainforest. There were no good roads there,and we were the only vehicle on the road. Needless to say thearea was pretty remote. It was pretty intensive off-roading.

When we pulled up, the children of the village ran outand start chanting, Mzungu! Mzungu! (which means white

person). We were a new phenomena to them, like theEaster Bunny.

The Williamsons met Kaluya when he was a graduate stu-dent in LWCs School of Professional Counseling. Oneevening after class Daniel Williamson asked Kaluya:Ronald, with are the things you are learning, what are yougonna do with it?

Kaluya made alist of what Bulikeneeded to progress,and counseling wasamong the morecritical needs heidentified.

In January 2011,Kaluya openedUgandaCounseling and

Support Services with the aim of providing the people of Bulike by providing counseling, building schools, hostingmedical clinics, providing a model farm and economic pro-grams, and drilling wells for clean water.

Comprehensive medical clinics can have between 400 to1,000 people show up for the services, Daniel Williamsonsaid. It was amazing how appreciative the villagers areabout the assistance that is provided by the clinics. We werehappy to be helpful in a small way by providing a little coun-

seling in the huts to local villagers. People seem to have simi-lar problems around the world.

Kaluya said he hopes the Williamsons will return toUganda, and the Williamsons said they hope to expand their work with their former student.

We want to go back as soon as possible, Jennifer Williamson said. Part of our trip was to map out and see if we could take LWC students with us. We have also set up dif-ferent ways to raise money for the village of Bulike on cam-

pus. There is no question about -- we are dedicated to going back and helping again.

Uganda Counseling and Support Services Director RonaldKaluya, left, and his wife, Ronah, far right, are joined byLWC professors Jennifer and Daniel Williamson in WHERE?

To watch a video about theWilliamsons trip to Bulike and readmore about Uganda Counselingand Support Services, go to:projectuganda.wordpress.com

About Uganda Counselingand Support Services

LWC professors Daniel and Jennifer Williamson are joined by residents of Bulike, Uganda, who have learned better agricul-tural methods throu h work with the U anda Counselin and Su ort Services.