Authored by: Abubaker Sekatuka

I’ve been quiet lately. Not because I had nothing to say, but because the pain I’ve felt has been hard to put into words.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve sat with young people who are really hurting. Their stories weren’t just told—they were whispered with fear. You could feel how heavy their hearts were.

One young person told me:

“I think someone put a curse on me… That’s why nothing ever works out for me.”

And then… silence. A long, heavy silence.

Is It a Curse—Or Something Else?

How do you tell a 19-year-old who just lost a parent and failed an exam that their pain is not a curse?

How do you help a girl believe in her dreams when she thinks she was born with bad luck?

In many parts of Uganda and Africa, people don’t learn about mental health. So when something hurts inside, they often say it’s caused by witchcraft, a curse, or someone wishing them harm.

Understanding the Pain

Many young people don’t know that trauma has signs, like:

• Feeling tired all the time
• Not believing in yourself
• Always feeling scared
• Not wanting to try anymore

These are not caused by magic. They are the result of real-life problems—like loss, abuse, poverty, and being let down by people or systems that were supposed to help.

But if no one teaches them that, they believe what they’ve heard growing up—that someone cursed them. That bad things happen because of jealous family members. That they are doomed. 

It’s the only explanation they’ve ever had.

Losing Control of Your Story

The problem with believing you are cursed is that it takes away your power.

It makes a girl think she’ll never succeed no matter how hard she works. It tells a boy that he was doomed the moment his father died.

These aren’t just scary thoughts. They are signs of untreated pain, passed down through generations.

A Talk I Will Always Remember

Two weeks ago, I sat with a 17-year-old boy. His father had died. His mother was very sick. He had to leave school. He whispered:

“I think my aunt bewitched me.”

But I didn’t hear superstition. 
I heard grief. 
I saw a boy crushed by sadness, trying to find a reason for all the pain.

Helping Must Begin with Healing

You can’t teach a young person new skills if they believe they’re cursed. 
You can’t help someone build a better life if they think their future is ruined.

If we want to help young people, we must start with healing.

We need:

• Healing circles that mix culture and mental health care
• Mentors who see the pain behind the behavior
• Safe spaces where young people can ask questions and learn new ways to understand what’s happening to them

In Uganda, groups like Sharing Circles are already doing this. They offer group therapy to young people who are struggling. But we need more.

From Feeling Cursed to Feeling Strong

Imagine telling a boy who thinks he’s cursed:

“You’re not cursed. You’re sad. And you need support.”

Imagine telling a girl who feels broken:

“This is not a punishment. It’s a health issue. And there is help.”

That’s not just kindness. That’s change.

Changing the Story

Our job—whether we are teachers, parents, helpers, or just people who care—is to help young people learn new ways to see their pain.

As African thinker Kwame Gyekye once said, our old beliefs aren’t “crazy”—they are based on what people knew at the time.

Now, we must tell our youth:

• You are not cursed
• You are not a mistake
• You are not alone

Because if we don’t help change the story, the pain will just keep going.

Let’s Talk. Let’s Help. Let’s Heal.

Have you ever felt like the world is against you? 
What if you could be the one to say to someone, “You are free”?

If you’re reading this, please:

• Start a conversation
• Share this message
• Support a youth mental health group
• Listen without judgment

Because healing is not just personal. 
It is important. 
It is urgent. 
And it starts with us.