Remembering our friend and colleague, Hope Busingye

With deep sorrow, the StrongMinds team mourns the loss of Hope Busingye, who passed away on September 18th, 2021.

Hope was one of the first people hired at StrongMinds to lead counseling groups, drawing upon her years of experience in medical nursing and community healthcare. She helped establish our deep roots in Uganda and eventually came to serve as our Regional District Project Officer for Mukono and Iganga, responsible for regional oversight of the delivery of our therapy programs to thousands of women.

As a seasoned leader within StrongMinds, Hope served as a mentor, coach, and passionate self-starter who helped her colleagues thrive. Her team playfully referred to her as “the iron lady” because she held herself and others to high standards. She wasn’t afraid to start bold conversations to improve our ability to serve women with depression. Beneath her professionalism, Hope’s humorous side came through in her wry smile, dimples, and the twinkle in her eye that signaled a joke or funny story was about to be shared. More than anything else, she was known by her team for how much she loved them. Hope showed that love through her consideration of others, often putting other people’s wellbeing before her own. She was a joy to be around, offering hope and encouragement to those in need. We are so grateful that we got to spend nearly eight years working alongside her, learning from her, watching her heart love on her team and her clients, and laughing with her.

Hope was deeply devoted to her family. She is survived by her two children, her mother, and her siblings.

We will miss our colleague dearly. Hope’s legacy lives on in the thousands of women who are now thriving because of her dynamic contribution to improving the mental health of Ugandan women.