The East African Regional Psycho trauma Project launched in April 2012 at Makerere University is bearing fruit.  The first cohort of 16 organizational  The trainees in a group photo after the graduation ceremony staff graduated on Saturday, 26th May 2018 at Makerere Guest House.  Different organizations were represented including the UPDF, Makerere University, Dorna Centre for autism, Kisubi University, the Office of the Prime Minister Refuge Department, to mention but a few.  

The Dean of the School of Psychology, Dr Julius Kikooma, presided over the function.  Apart from training organizational staff, the other objectives of the project include: conducting community trauma-informed interventions and programming, creating partnerships and networks in the East African region and conducting sensitization and advocacy activities about psycho trauma in the East African region.

The idea of training in trauma healing started in 2012 after Makerere University realised that a big proportion of  people in the Greatlakes region, particularly East Africa, were affected psychologically (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ) due to disasters including floods, droughts, wars, displacement, child abuse and rape.

In his remarks, Dr Kikooma said if Uganda is to address trauma effects, the country needs high quality training of people and experts in the field of trauma healing as a society recovering from conflicts. He, however, said the country should build its capacity other than relying on people of goodwill.