Art therapy uncovers trauma, hunger among Kyangwali children

What the report says

An art-based mental health assessment in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement has found signs of trauma, grief, fear of violence, violent thoughts and hunger among children and adolescents, according to Nile Post. The assessment was carried out by Faces Up Uganda in November 2025 and involved 506 learners from four primary schools, using drawings and other creative activities to help them describe their experiences and emotions.

The findings were shared at a national stakeholders’ consultation on first aid, mental health and psychosocial support for children, held Thursday in Hoima City and organised by Community Integrated Development Initiatives (CIDI). Participants included government officials, educators, health workers, humanitarian organisations, local leaders and representatives of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Mental Health. Some drawings reportedly showed guns, coffins and dead people, which project staff interpreted as reflections of conflict exposure and fear linked to the children’s countries of origin.

CIDI project lead Inviola Nambi said the results suggest that conflict-related distress can continue even after children reach a safer environment. She also said hunger is affecting concentration and emotional well-being, and called for stronger school feeding and more mental health support in education and community programmes.

The article says the three-year Kids for Kids project, funded by Danish People's Aid, is already working in seven schools and has reached more than 3,000 learners. Stakeholders also discussed adding a weekly mental health hour in schools, while the Office of the Prime Minister signaled support for integrating first aid and mental health interventions in refugee-settlement programmes.