Makerere dons develop counselling app

This follows increasing suicide cases among students, according to Dr. Rehema Baguma, the leader of the team behind the app.

She said, for instance, in 2018, a fourth year student of forestry at Makerere University committed suicide. This was followed by other suicide cases last year. 

She said their UNICARE app, which is available from Google Playstore targets students, not only at Makerere but also other universities across the country.

It will offer instant messages, voice and emergency helpline for people to call in. 

This is one of the ICT innovations showcased today during an online innovations exhibition organized by Makerere University School of Public Health Resilient Africa Network (RAN) innovation lab.

The virtual event codenamed ‘ICT Innovation Katale' took place this morning, showcasing digital solutions innovated to transform societies and the economy amidst challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The innovators are supported by the Government through the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in an effort to curb the high rate of graduate unemployment.

The RAN innovation lab is incubating the innovations so that they can progress into serious bankable businesses and also solve societal problems. 

Baguma said the UNICARE app will offer counselling services provided by experts; it provides anonymity, confidentiality and no parental involvement.

Excluding parents is meant to allow the students feel free to share their problems so as to receive adequate counselling.

"We intend to keep the service free for the end-users (the students) but charge the universities and also advertise within the app," Baguma explained. She said the app will be tested this year at Makerere University.

Last year in June, the ICT ministry allocated RAN lab 14 innovation projects under the second National ICT Initiatives and Support Programme (NIISP) cohort to receive technical support and guidance towards the realisation of these transformative digital solutions.

"With our partners at United Social Ventures, innovators have been taken through an intense incubation programe that included business and enterprise development training, development of a business model, and development of a market and user-outreach plan.

"Teams were also offered one-on-one coaching and mentorship support and given specialized attention during the COVID-19 Pandemic partial lockdown," Harriet Adong, the RAN communications officer, said.

 The RAN lab brings together scholars, a diverse array of industry players and entrepreneurs to co-create evidence-based solutions that build the resilience of communities facing recurrent shocks and stresses in Africa.

It supports innovators in developing and launching their most compelling ideas, start-up enterprises and businesses that tackle the key challenges in communities like climate change, food insecurity, financial inclusion, rapid urbanization, disease epidemics and chronic conflict among others.