Employers have been advised to make workplaces a conducive environment to address the mental health and wellness of their employees.

Speaking during a webinar on ‘Fostering Mental Health in the Changing World’ organised by ICEA LION Uganda, Dr. Brenda Kharono – a global health specialist, said, “The workplace is a good place to start conversations on culturally appropriate mental health interventions, and management should be supportive of platforms that enable their employees to open up about the things that they can’t open up about at home where their children or relatives are.” She added that this would lead to increased productivity, engagement and motivation for businesses. 

This follows recent statistics from the Ministry of Health and the Uganda Counseling Association stating that about 14 million Ugandans suffer from a form of mental illness – a majority of whom have depression and anxiety disorders .

In 2021, mental health activists raised concerns over the inadequate number of psychiatrists and mental health treatment facilities in Uganda, which has greatly affected the provision of mental health services .

Dr. Brenda shared a number of practical strategies to help increase workplace well-being including increasing employee control, and input into work hours and location; workplace health promotion strategies like physical activity, mental health awareness and education and relaxation training; implementing resilience training and early intervention programs for high-risk occupations or those exposed to significant trauma and stress; in-house workplace counselling and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs); and the provision of peer support schemes, among others.

While giving his closing remarks, ICEA LION Life Assurance Chief Executive Officer, Emmanuel Mwaka encouraged participants to look out for each other. “We should be each other’s keepers both in the workplace and at home. Now more than ever it has become critical for us to be more mindful of both our mental health and that of the people we interact with on a day-to-day basis. At ICEA LION we prioritize health and we are ready to walk that journey with all our clients.”

The discussion comes during World Mental Health Month, which is recognized every October and aims to address mental health issues to empower more people to take action and create lasting change.

This month, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a campaign to raise awareness and spur action towards suicide prevention in the African region, which has the world’s highest rates of death by suicide – due in part to insufficient action to address and prevent risk factors such as mental health conditions.

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There are many reasons to play in online casinos. First, there are many different games and variations of classic casino games. You can also find innovative new games with special features that can make your online experience much more exciting than it would be at an actual land-based casino.

Also, playing at an online casino can help you avoid all the negative aspects of a traditional casino, such as crowds and smoking. And finally, there’s something to be said for being able to play from your own computer or mobile device whenever you have free time instead of driving somewhere just to gamble for a few hours before having to go back home again! Since there is a possibility to start playing today, this post is for you as we have outlined the crucial info about web gambling.

Finding the best platform for you

There are a lot of great online casinos out there, but you want to find one that suits your style and needs. What do you want from an online casino? Do you want a site with lots of games? Do you want an app to play on the go, or would a desktop version be better? How important is customer support? Is it essential to have access to live chat 24/7, or would email or phone support work just as well for you?

Some critical things to consider when researching different sites include what security measures they use, how they pay out winnings, and how frequently they’re audited by third-party agencies (like eCOGRA).

It’s also good practice to check out the reviews for any casino before creating an account. If there aren’t any recent reviews available, then ask yourself—has something happened recently that made people stop enjoying playing on this site?

Pick your games

The most popular games are often the ones with the best payouts and most exciting features. For example, if you want to play a game with an element of chance, your best bet is probably roulette or slots. If you want to try something more strategic and skill-based, baccarat or craps might be a better choice for you.

When choosing your game, consider how much money you’re comfortable spending per round. Different games have different cost structures: some charge a flat fee per hand; others charge based on how long each round lasts (or both). Certain games like blackjack give players options for betting more than one hand at once—but this comes at an increased price point for each additional hand played.

The same goes for skill level. A good rule of thumb is to start out slowly when trying out new games so that there’s less risk involved in losing big amounts of money until you get used to playing them well enough.

Safety and security

Evaluate whether you are using a secure connection when playing at online casinos by checking for security seals on their websites. These seals indicate that your connection with the casino server has been secured with encryption technology so that sensitive information cannot be intercepted by third parties while in transit over the internet or wireless networks.

Conclusion

There are many online casinos to choose from, and it might be challenging to pick one among them. So, take your time to evaluate the available platforms, select one, and get ready for an amazing gambling trip!

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Preparations for the 22nd Edition of the East African Community (EAC) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Trade Fair, popularly known as the Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition, are in high gear.

The 22nd edition of the annual EAC Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition, which will be held under the theme “Buy East African to Build East Africa for Resilience and Sustainable Development,” is expected to attract more than 1,000 artisans from all the seven (7) EAC Partner States.

The exhibition will run from 8th – 18th December, 2022 at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, Uganda.

The main objective of the Trade Fair is to contribute towards the realisation of the region’s development goals and aspirations by lending support to this budding sector of the economy, which needs public patronage and Government support in order to be sustainable.

The Trade Fairs further create considerable impact on the image of the sector, which is today seen as the panacea to the daunting question of unemployment and poverty alleviation in the region.

The 1st EAC MSMEs Trade Fair was held in Arusha, Tanzania in November 1999 during the historic event of signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC. Subsequent to the success of the Arusha exhibition, the EAC Heads of State directed that the Exhibition be held annually on rotational basis among the Partner States so as to enhance and revamp the socio-economic integration of the people of East Africa.

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Ugandans are set to own homes under the new home loans campaign. The campaign is aimed at driving up Home Ownership in Uganda and the Diaspora, through the provision of affordable financing solutions.

The enhanced proposition gives existing and potential customers the option to purchase Homes at an interest rate of 16% per annum for Uganda shilling-denominated loans and 8% per annum for US Dollar loans. Customers can also access 60% of the eligible loan amount when purchasing Homes from dfcu’s known real estate development partners.

For the purchase of land, the Bank is offering Personal Secured Loans at a 16.5% interest rate. Additionally, the Bank will not charge fees for loan buyouts and will also provide customers with a 30-day grace period for a month of their choice.

Uganda has the third-highest population growth rate in Africa and a significantly high rural-to-urban migration. These trends underline the need for more housing units.

According to Miranda Bageine Musoke, dfcu Bank’s Head of Personal Banking, this campaign seeks to empower individuals and businesses who are keen on making Home Ownership a reality.

“Through this campaign, dfcu Bank has created options for home ownership that include access to properties purchased from our Estate Developer partners, access to Home Loans funding to purchase properties of their choice or access to a Secured Personal Loan to purchase land.

“We have also curated multi-currency offers that cater to payments made in Ugandan Shillings or United States Dollars (USD). We are cognizant of the fact that many customers who work in the diaspora are looking for suitable and affordable properties back home. With the dfcu Home Loans campaign, we are providing specific solutions, made to meet the needs of multiple customer bases.”

Bageine Musoke also noted that customers buying homes from vendors with whom dfcu Bank has partnerships will receive 60% of the loan amount within 24 hours, provided they submit fully executed mortgage documents, an original copy of title to the bank and a bank purchase guarantee.

According to a report released by the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa (2020), Uganda’s urban households will grow from 2.9 million in 2020 to 3.8 million in 2025—a total increase in housing needed of 180 000 units per annum.

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The Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court on October 20, 2022 sentenced one Ochiba Pascal to life imprisonment for unlawful possession of protected species.  

Ochiba was arrested on January 18, 2022 in Namuwongo zone, Kampala after being found in possession of two pieces of elephant ivory weighing 9.55 kilograms without a wildlife use right.

While sentencing Ochiba, the Chief Magistrate of the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court, Her worship Gladys Kamasanyu said that offences of unlawful possession of protected species are rampant and there is need to curb them down. She said that Uganda is home to the world’s most known wildlife ranging from iconic mammals like elephants to small ones like pangolins that need to be protected.

She noted that the Ochiba was habitual offender having been charged in 2017 with two counts of unlawful possession of protected species and convicted by the same court.  She said that leaving Ochiba in circulation increases the risk of killing of endangered species noting that he deserves a sentence that will contribute to making the world a safer place for wildlife and humans.

On July 4, 2017, Ochiba was arrested from Namuwongo after being found with four pieces of ivory a dry skin of an Okapi without a valid use right and was sentenced to eighteen months in jail for both counts which he served concurrently.

The Executive Director UWA Sam Mwandha described the sentence as a landmark achievement in the fight against illegal wildlife trade.

“We are happy to see the maximum sentence being handed to a wildlife offender. This is a landmark achievement in our war on illegal wildlife trade in Uganda. We must do our best in our times to protect our wildlife otherwise history will judge us harshly,” he said.

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