By Christine Awor and Mukute Joshua
Mental health problems have an impact on employers and businesses directly through increased absenteeism, negative impact on productivity and profits, as well as an increase in costs to deal with the issue in addition impacts employee morale adversely.
For people with mental health conditions, a decent working environment can contribute to recovery and inclusion, and improve confidence and social functioning.
Internet Photo
Safe and healthy working environments are not only a fundamental right but are also more likely to minimize tension and conflicts at work and improve staff retention, work performance, and productivity. Conversely, a lack of effective structures and support at work, especially for those living with mental health conditions, can affect a person’s ability to enjoy their work and do their job well; it can undermine people’s attendance at work and even stop people getting a job in the first place.
In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) called for concrete action to address mental health concerns in the working population.
AN INSIGHT INTO SILK PROJECT
The biggest campaign the whole world is having right now is mental health issues, this situation has however taken a different twist at the Tropical Institute Of Development Innovations, the leading Implementer of the Sericulture Project In Uganda. It has been nearly a year Since Staff at this entity waited to take Sorrows and misery home at the end of the Month due to Suspended Funding to the Project where their livelihoods are derived from.
Last Year, the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation through its then minister called for the suspension of 42.4 Billion in funding allocated to the leading implementer of the Silk Project in Uganda, that is TRIDI and amidst back and forth meeting to mitigate a neutral ground for the project, its staff has gone for close to a year without a single penny to take home and this has put a big strain to the livelihood of the staff in question
DISGRUNTLED BUT RESILIENT STAFF’S VOICES
The funding gaps have put a big risk to the socio-economic lives of TRIDI Staff putting their mental health at a knife- edge Condition, here is the story of a few selected staff who represent others going through a similar challenge
Lauben Amutukwasize is a Laboratory Assistant and Head of the Applied Chemistry Department TRIDI, Lauben Joined TRIDI in 2020 when the project had started having funding gaps but kept hoping that one day, the hard work would pay off. This affected his social life and exposure to a great extent.
“The cost of living was and is never easy, you need to feed, send children to school, pay expenses and equally survive just like any other Ugandan since this is the only Source of Income at hand”
“ It is not easy to work without payment, despite your caliber or position in life, you need money to keep pushing you.” Lauben asserts.
Psychologically, it’s very challenging according to Him, “sometimes you look all around and find no solution and the only sound left in your mind are nightmares and dreams of hoping to wake up to good news.”
Parents do send children to school with hopes of giving them a decent livelihood but it’s very shameful to call home right now and again ask them for money as big as we are. He narrates.
But despite the looming challenges, what keeps him moving is a vision he holds dearly at the heart of making Uganda shine through the Commercialization of the Sericulture project.
Esther Nandutu, Head of Fashion and Garment Design at TRIDI affirms that it has not been easy for her to be the breadwinner of the family, everyone looks up to her in her family
“We are not able to buy scholastic materials and even our children can’t have quality education because of the back and forth toss, our hands are tied.”
This hasn’t left Esther’s Mental Health on a positive note
“Money is a necessity and lack of it comes with a lot of stress, lows, and depression. Suspension of this funding has consumed and damaged me, the next minute you are motivated, the next minute you are off, you can’t concentrate.”She notes.
“At the beginning of every year, people set a resolution for a whole year, this has become an invalid dream to me, I can’t even easily say this year I will do such and such a thing, totally constrained but what keeps us moving is the Vision we hope to achieve as a family”She adds
The Regional Supervisor for Eastern Uganda, Ms. Jackie Namadi ascertains that “Truth be told, it hasn’t been a smooth ride, we have borrowed right, left and center because of needs at hand, children have to go to school, you have to pay dues and equally feed, it has generally been challenging”
Jackie seems to be losing it out waiting and hoping, mentally, the first six months, the staff have been a bit strong and hopeful but after that weary, worries rocked their minds and this led to a high drop in the concentration level
“Every time, you be having a frozen mind, a phone call just comes in that a child is sick and that’s enough to ruin your entire day because you do not know how and where to get money from, with all these situations to tell the truth, you can’t be straight”
According to the Regional Supervisor, there are situations hard to explain but most importantly, the fact that she has TRIDI and the entire project at heart makes her wipe off the frown face and carry on.
Nyahangane Alosious from the Department of Partnership and Capacity building notes that this has made him withdraw from society, friends, and family and sometimes the family thinks he is just being stubborn not to help.
This is a crucial stage of depression where one withdrawal from what used to matter to them, still all goes back to withheld funding that has put the project through a bumpy rocky endless ride.
“8 Months without any penny is a hard one with the increasing financial pressure, some of us even have been forced to abandon our places because we have run out of sweet words to convince the landlord, we pray such gaps in funding are addressed because this is highly affecting the progress of the project.”Alosious ascertains
On a similar development, Nathan Okia, TRIDI’S Internal Auditor
“If I say the 8 Months have been a smooth one, then I lie, all facilities need money, In Uganda nothing is free, and all pressing basic needs missing becomes a very pitching matter.”
Nathan attributes that at TRIDI as an organization, everyone is taught to be selfless, patriotic and to put Uganda first that is the sole reason most staff are still intact on board which is a unique thing the most entities lack, “we have large hearts and there is a future we prospect that won’t let us give up despite the looming challenges. Regardless of the gaps, there is resilience, we are putting in 100% but this doesn’t mean we do not have a life ahead, Psychologically tortured Okia painfully narrates that most times you can have pressing issues to fulfill and this sometimes makes you withdraw from society, and becomes isolated, something that has triggered a lot of suicidal thoughts in many depressed people
RECOMMENDATION
Even though TRIDI Staff are devoted, focused, patriotic, and putting on resilience as lead drivers, they are recommending a smooth transition and consistent funding from the Custodian Ministry for a smooth running of the Silk Project in the Country as TRIDI Keeps looking forward to Commercialize Sericulture Project In Uganda.
TRIDI Envisions increased industrialization and export development through the sustainable adoption of Sericulture technologies and Innovations in Uganda.
The project aims at promoting the development of the Silk industry to create gainful employment and improved levels of income in sericulture through utilization of Next Generations Sericulture Technologies, Innovations and Management Practices(NGSTIMPs)
The Project also aims at increasing domestic production of silk and its by-products, thus raising rural incomes for small-holder producers and ensuring the supply of affordable silk products to Ugandan Consumers and export markets.
TRIDI Staff in Chepsikunya,Kween Sericulture Station being trained to operate one of our Sophisticated machines.
The Ugandan silk yarn was to be tested against the specifications for Grade 6A which is the best quality silk globally to begin commercial production.
According to TRIDI, the results from Europe indicated that Uganda’s silk yarn is within the commercial grades.
Compiled By Christine Awor and Joshua Mukute, Public Relation Officers, TRIDI)
