Healing Minds 5000 Scholarship Award
The 2025 Mental Health Essay Competition is inspired by the ongoing Healing Minds 5000 Campaign, launched at the Queen’s Ball 2025. This year’s competition builds on the voices, stories, and experiences shared by students across Uganda gathered during our National Secondary School Tour. The aim is to continue empowering young people to speak openly about mental health, reduce stigma in their communities, and contribute to a culture of understanding and healing.
Theme
“My Mental Health Journey: Understanding My Struggles and Becoming a Champion for Change.”
This year’s theme asks participants to reflect deeply on:
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Their personal mental health experiences.
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Factors that have shaped or challenged their well-being.
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How cultural, social, or family expectations influence young people’s ability to seek help.
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Ways to eliminate or reduce stigma around mental health.
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How they, as young people, can become mental health champions in their schools and communities.
Eligibility
Age Group: 13–19 years (Secondary school students)
Participants must be:
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Ugandan citizens.
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Currently enrolled in a secondary school, vocational institution, or equivalent learning environment
Submission Guidelines
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Essays must be 800–1,200 words.
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Submissions must be in English.
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Essays must be original and not previously published.
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Submissions should include:
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Full name
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Age
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School or institution
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Class/year level
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District
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Contact details (student and guardian)
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Essays will be submitted through the official NNWF website submission portal
Judging Criteria
Essays will be evaluated based on:
1. Authenticity & Personal Insight
2. Understanding of Mental Health
3. Creativity & Originality
4. Clarity & Structure
5. Grammar & Language
Prizes
A total of UGX 6,000,000 will be awarded.
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1st Prize: UGX 3,000,000
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2nd Prize: UGX 2,000,000
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3rd Prize: UGX 1,000,000
Prize winners will also receive recognition at an NNWF public event and be featured on official NNWF platforms. Outstanding essays will be published on the website.
Key Dates
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Competition Launch: 15th December 2025
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Submission Deadline: 1st February 2026
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Judging Period: 9th February - 9th March 2026
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Winners Announced: 1st April 2026
Essay Prompt
Participants must respond to the following:
Option #1: Drawing from your own experiences and personal observations, describe the mental health challenges young people face today. What factors contribute to these struggles? How can young people help reduce stigma in their schools and communities, and what changes would you recommend to create a more supportive environment for mental well-being?
Option #2: What mental health challenges do young people face in your school or community, and what can be done to reduce stigma and support one another better?
Prompts for Ages 7–13
Students can choose any of the prompts below to answer. Students may draw, write a poem, or create a short story.
Prompt 1: Feelings & Coping
“How do you take care of your mind and feelings when you are sad, worried, or stressed?”
Students may draw, write a poem, or create a short story showing the things, people, or activities that help them feel calm, safe, or happy.
Prompt 2: Mental Health Hero
“If you were a ‘Mental Health Hero,’ what would you do to help yourself and others feel better?”
Children can draw themselves as a hero or write something short about how they would spread kindness, comfort, and support.
Prompt 3: Caring Friend
“What does a caring friend look like?”
Students may show or write about how friends support each other with feelings, share kindness, or help one another feel understood.
Prompt 4:
“What happens at home that helps you feel safe, loved, or worried?”
This allows children to express, through art or simple writing, how home life affects their feelings and mental well-being.
Essays should:
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Answer all the questions in the prompt
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Be authentic, reflective, and grounded in personal perspective.
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Offer innovative ideas to remove, reduce, or lower mental health barriers among young people.
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Suggest practical changes in school policies or practices that could strengthen mental health support.
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Identify key areas of concern affecting individuals and their communities.
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Demonstrate understanding of mental health in Ugandan cultural and social contexts.
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Show clarity, empathy, and insight.