WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.060 --> 00:00:04.433 Where our society has listened, it listens judgmentally. 00:00:06.970 --> 00:00:09.886 I'm Dorothy Nakato Mubezi. 00:00:11.350 --> 00:00:15.582 I'm a woman with psychosocial disabilities, Indigenous. 00:00:15.582 --> 00:00:19.505 And I'm a rural woman. 00:00:20.860 --> 00:00:27.907 I'm Irene, officially. And Mrs. Isiko, popularly. 00:00:29.260 --> 00:00:32.200 Everybody knows me as Mrs. Isiko. 00:00:33.250 --> 00:00:34.779 And that is actually what I am, 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:37.179 because I married to Mr. Isiko. 00:00:37.180 --> 00:00:40.029 I'm a teacher by profession, 00:00:40.030 --> 00:00:42.219 a farmer by practice. 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:50.000 As a person with psychosocial disabilities, I grew up in the rural, 00:00:51.116 --> 00:00:54.199 in highly poverty-stricken family. 00:00:55.090 --> 00:00:57.931 And I have a physical disability. 00:00:58.450 --> 00:01:04.886 As a young girl with physical disability, it was challenging. 00:01:05.710 --> 00:01:08.396 Going to school was a little hard. 00:01:09.610 --> 00:01:14.170 We had to walk very long distances, but I persevered. 00:01:14.170 --> 00:01:18.400 Though the community was like, this girl cannot manage to walk, 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:19.840 I was able to make it. 00:01:21.370 --> 00:01:27.880 I went through primary school and I performed very well, joined a very good school, 00:01:27.880 --> 00:01:31.300 one of the best schools in Uganda. 00:01:31.300 --> 00:01:36.880 Because of all the surrounding of lack of fees, 00:01:36.880 --> 00:01:41.740 thinking about home, my other siblings are not doing well, 00:01:41.740 --> 00:01:43.749 no food at home, 00:01:43.750 --> 00:01:48.280 I think so many thoughts ran around me and the situation, 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:51.156 so I developed a mental health breakdown, 00:01:52.150 --> 00:01:55.711 but I was able to make it and any other girl can make it. 00:01:56.470 --> 00:01:58.619 So finally I managed. 00:01:58.620 --> 00:02:07.634 I went through school. It is in high level, and I was able to make it up to the university. 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:12.482 I worked with Compassion for a period of eight years. 00:02:13.480 --> 00:02:25.254 Thereafter in 2017, I joined Triumph Uganda Mental Health Support and Recovery Program. 00:02:26.650 --> 00:02:30.300 Joining Triumph was such an opportunity for me. 00:02:30.850 --> 00:02:34.690 Advocacy for disability started from there. 00:02:34.690 --> 00:02:42.423 Through Triumph, I was able to apply for IDA program, 00:02:42.423 --> 00:02:49.836 International Disability Alliance Program of bridge therapy, the SDGs training. 00:02:52.310 --> 00:02:54.139 They built my capacity. 00:02:54.140 --> 00:03:05.930 I came to realize my rights as they trained us through the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 00:03:05.930 --> 00:03:12.020 And I also realized that, of course, we all have equal rights. 00:03:12.020 --> 00:03:17.970 I started my advocacy with the knowledge of the CRPD, 00:03:19.070 --> 00:03:26.490 I applied and successfully offered a fellowship with 00:03:26.490 --> 00:03:36.569 the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry under the International Disability Alliance fellowship programs. 00:03:37.460 --> 00:03:41.360 The fellowship built my capacity more. 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:52.110 I was able to speak to different forums like the Conference of the State Parties, the Global Disability Summit. 00:03:52.190 --> 00:03:57.737 After that fellowship, I got another fellowship with Transforming Communities for Inclusion. 00:03:58.160 --> 00:04:07.948 That is mainly working on community inclusion because here in Uganda 99% of the national budget 00:04:08.150 --> 00:04:12.225 goes into put them [people with psychosocial disabilities] in hospital. 00:04:12.470 --> 00:04:19.460 There is no budget here that is put aside for community inclusion. 00:04:19.640 --> 00:04:25.000 Now, I'm happy to share with you 00:04:25.130 --> 00:04:30.787 I got one of the prestigious award with Zero Project. 00:04:31.580 --> 00:04:40.462 The only person came from Africa who had an innovative solution that is impactful and scalable. 00:04:40.880 --> 00:04:48.500 So I was also put on the impact transfer program to make sure that this innovation 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:55.589 is scaled to other parts of the country or to other parts of the Africa. 00:04:56.420 --> 00:05:00.552 We call the solution as Support My Choice. 00:05:00.860 --> 00:05:04.147 We can overcome and I encourage all women, 00:05:05.330 --> 00:05:06.500 all young girls, 00:05:07.520 --> 00:05:10.641 that we can make it. 00:05:10.940 --> 00:05:12.145 Life is possible. 00:05:13.670 --> 00:05:15.212 Be the self advocate. 00:05:16.490 --> 00:05:18.709 Advocate for your rights. 00:05:18.710 --> 00:05:20.029 Stand for your rights. 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:26.995 I was off teaching for two years as a result of that accident 00:05:26.995 --> 00:05:32.945 where I fell and hit the back of my head on the floor, concrete. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:39.688 It was very bad to think that I cannot coordinate again. 00:05:40.510 --> 00:05:47.061 I have been reading books. I'm actually addicted to reading books. 00:05:47.243 --> 00:05:54.160 Before working with the Triumph as an organization, I was working. 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:59.238 I was looking after people who had mental challenges. 00:05:59.350 --> 00:06:04.792 And somehow, for reasons I don't understand, I would get the best out of them. 00:06:05.320 --> 00:06:08.499 So I said, "How can I fear to get to the best of myself?" 00:06:08.830 --> 00:06:14.212 I tried to chase my retirement. 00:06:14.710 --> 00:06:20.260 It was being so difficult because sometimes I would function and sometimes I wouldn't function well. 00:06:20.260 --> 00:06:23.349 I said, "What can I do with myself?" 00:06:23.350 --> 00:06:25.240 I had been looking after cattle. 00:06:26.320 --> 00:06:30.190 Before that I had some two dairy animals. So I went to my headmaster 00:06:30.190 --> 00:06:32.672 and I said, "Can you help me?," and I get another two. 00:06:33.670 --> 00:06:40.000 I want to go home and try to see if I can start something again. 00:06:40.090 --> 00:06:47.617 Because in my heart I realized that doing what I had done professionally, 00:06:48.850 --> 00:06:51.222 I was coming to the end of that road. 00:06:51.370 --> 00:06:55.998 But it shouldn't be the end of the road for my life. 00:06:56.080 --> 00:06:59.013 I said, "Well, that is one road ending. 00:06:59.013 --> 00:07:04.179 There is yet another road." I opted for dairy farming 00:07:04.179 --> 00:07:09.788 where I have been ever since that time. I've been rearing these animals. 00:07:09.940 --> 00:07:15.843 I now have 10 dairy animals that I am looking after, 00:07:15.843 --> 00:07:19.287 and they have given me an income and I'm a happy woman. 00:07:19.390 --> 00:07:27.995 I realize that the hecticism of a secondary school teacher can be replaced with a more relaxed life, 00:07:28.089 --> 00:07:32.099 because that's what I was told, that with the brain there is no medicine. 00:07:32.290 --> 00:07:36.989 The only medicine is to go home, sit and relax and rest. 00:07:36.989 --> 00:07:40.814 Do something you enjoy doing, and that's what I've been doing. 00:07:41.170 --> 00:07:45.635 I had someone gave me a goat also. 00:07:45.820 --> 00:07:51.090 And that two goats as multiplied. Last year I sold over 30 goats. 00:07:52.030 --> 00:07:54.279 And now I have 24. 00:07:54.280 --> 00:07:56.409 Still, I'm starting again. 00:07:56.410 --> 00:07:58.834 Whenever they go up to 50, I sell off. 00:08:00.258 --> 00:08:05.050 And I did grow bananas here, very beautiful plantation. 00:08:05.050 --> 00:08:09.444 And I made a lot of money out of it. 00:08:09.610 --> 00:08:14.767 Plus many, many other small things that I have been doing for myself. 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:18.430 But most especially, I love people. 00:08:18.430 --> 00:08:20.829 I hate to see people suffering. 00:08:20.830 --> 00:08:25.817 Now, when I almost became useless because of that accident, 00:08:26.170 --> 00:08:28.990 when I discovered myself, I discovered that there are so many 00:08:28.990 --> 00:08:32.532 other people who could be helped if only they could rediscover themselves. 00:08:32.710 --> 00:08:40.630 My husband's last born got a brain palsy. I took her on board. 00:08:40.630 --> 00:08:43.870 But as I talk now, she's a useful member in the family. 00:08:43.870 --> 00:08:50.000 I look to her, have been nice to her. We have helped her to find a cause to be proud of herself. 00:08:50.290 --> 00:08:56.807 And it makes me feel proud to know that I've given someone cause to feel human. 00:08:56.890 --> 00:09:06.105 I have a discovery that sometimes people are mentally sick because they are failing to realize their essence of life. 00:09:06.610 --> 00:09:14.740 I believe I've come to realize that there are other underlying causes that need to be addressed. 00:09:15.850 --> 00:09:20.199 People need to be made to feel happy, 00:09:21.160 --> 00:09:22.160 accepted, 00:09:23.230 --> 00:09:26.049 be involved in a community, 00:09:26.050 --> 00:09:28.059 be allowed to be cared for. 00:09:28.060 --> 00:09:31.739 And I think I'm now more useful and more appreciated 00:09:32.050 --> 00:09:36.593 after falling out of that job that I went to school to study, 00:09:36.999 --> 00:09:39.279 and that's what I'm trying to do. 00:09:39.280 --> 00:09:42.349 People who need recognition, 00:09:42.350 --> 00:09:46.167 other people I'm recognizing and they recognize me, by the way. 00:09:46.839 --> 00:09:48.669 I have given life meaning 00:09:48.670 --> 00:09:52.183 and I think there is nothing more rewarding than that.