ACE turns awareness into action through programmes, education, outreach and advocacy designed to make mental health understanding more accessible and meaningful.
Where We Focus Most
Epilepsy awareness and stigma reduction sits at the very heart of ACE’s work, alongside three further priorities.
OUR FLAGSHIP FOCUS
Epilepsy Awareness & Stigma Reduction
In Uganda, epilepsy is still met with dangerous myths — that it is contagious, a curse, or something to hide rather than treat. Those beliefs isolate people living with epilepsy from school, work, marriage and community life, on top of the seizures themselves. Replacing that stigma with accurate understanding of epilepsy as a manageable neurological condition is the focus closest to ACE’s founding.
- Community and school sessions correcting myths about what causes epilepsy and how it spreads (it doesn’t)
- Support for people living with epilepsy and their families in navigating stigma at home, school and work
- Referral pathways into consistent neurological and psychiatric care
- Public awareness campaigns marking International Epilepsy Day and Purple Day
Three further priorities also guide ACE’s work.
Suicide Prevention
Helping people recognise warning signs, reducing stigma around asking for help, and understanding risk so the people around someone in crisis know what to do and where to turn. ACE is not an emergency service — our role is prevention through awareness and early, appropriate connection to care.
Substance-Use Awareness
Education on risk factors, the connection between substance use and mental health, prevention, stigma, and pathways to support and recovery — for the person affected and for the families around them.
Stress, Anxiety & Breaking Points
Helping people recognise when everyday pressure is tipping into something more serious, and seek support before accumulated stress becomes a crisis.
Programme Areas
Five interlocking programmes carry ACE’s strategy into schools, workplaces and communities.
School Mental Health Programme
Building early-detection and support systems inside secondary and tertiary institutions.
- Mental health literacy sessions for students and staff
- Teacher training in recognising warning signs and responding appropriately
- Confidential screening and structured referral pathways
- Peer-support clubs led by trained student ambassadors
Community Outreach Programme
Bringing mental health education and first-line support directly into neighbourhoods.
- Community dialogues and mental health awareness camps
- Substance-abuse prevention sessions for at-risk groups
- Family education on supporting a relative with mental illness
- Referral linkages into public health facilities, including Butabika
Workplace Wellness Programme
Helping employers protect the mental health and productivity of their teams.
- Manager training in psychological first aid and burnout prevention
- Confidential employee wellness talks and stress-management workshops
- Workplace mental health policy design support
- Tiered corporate packages for ongoing partnership
Digital Education & Media
Extending ACE’s reach beyond in-person programming through accessible content.
- Social media campaigns that normalise conversations about mental health
- Short-form video and radio content in local languages
- A digital resource hub of self-help and referral information
Research & Innovation
Keeping ACE’s programming evidence-based and its impact measurable.
- Partnerships with universities on local mental health research
- Routine data collection across all programme sites
- Periodic public mental health surveys in ACE’s operating areas
Who We Serve
Schools
We work with students, teachers, school leaders and other members of the school community to make mental health conversations safer, more informed and easier to act on.
Why it matters
Schools are important spaces for early awareness, prevention and support. Reaching young people early can help challenge stigma and encourage healthier ways of understanding and responding to mental health.
Workplaces
We work with employees, managers, employers and workplace leaders to promote mental wellbeing and create environments where people can speak openly and seek support.
Why it matters
Mental health affects how people work, connect and function every day. Healthier workplaces can support both individual wellbeing and stronger organisations.
Communities
We engage individuals, families, community leaders and other community members to make mental health awareness part of everyday conversations and community life.
Why it matters
Mental health does not exist in isolation. Families, communities and social environments can influence how people understand mental health, respond to challenges and seek help.
Our Theory of Change
How ACE’s activities translate into lasting change in mental health outcomes.
STEP 1 — INPUTS
Clinicians, trained volunteers, partners, funding
STEP 2 — ACTIVITIES
Training, screening, outreach, campaigns
STEP 3 — OUTPUTS
People trained, screened & referred
STEP 4 — OUTCOMES
Earlier detection, reduced stigma
Long-term impact: a mentally healthier, more productive Uganda — where fewer conditions go undetected, fewer people suffer in isolation, and communities know how to respond.
Our Approach
ACE is an education and community-support organisation, not a clinical or emergency service. We do not provide psychiatric diagnosis, prescribing or emergency treatment — our role is education, first-line support and connecting people to the appropriate professional care that already exists.
Work With ACE
Whether you’re a school, workplace, community organisation or potential partner, there are ways to work with ACE to turn awareness into meaningful action.
ACE: Awareness Changes Everything 