Wilber Karugahe

Dr. Wilber Karugahe is a respected psychologist and Senior Lecturer at Makerere University, where he serves as the Coordinator of Bachelor of Applied Psychology (BAPS)  in the Department of Mental Health & Community Psychology. He completed his undergraduate degree with honors in Community Psychology in 2005 and earned a Master’s in Counselling Psychology from Makerere University in 2009. Subsequently, he pursued and completed a PhD in Psychology at the University of Huddersfield, UK. Dr. Karugahe’s PhD thesis focused on domestic violence victimization.  Before joining Makerere, Dr. Karugahe taught at several Ugandan institutions, including Bugema University as a Teaching Assistant, St. Lawrence University as the first Head of its Counselling Department, and also lectured part-time at Kyambogo University & University of Huddersfield (UK).

Dr. Karugahe’s research primarily explores coping strategies, family dynamics, and mental health in the Ugandan context. He has investigated stress and coping among female nurses in Kampala, highlighting the relationship between home roles and coping methods in occupational contexts. Dr. Karugahe Wilber has published a number of articles in peer reviewed journals and more recently, in collaboration with Danish Government, World Universities Net Work (WUN in collaboration with University of Southampton), and NIHR-UK, on harmful use of alcohol in Kigezi sub-region, adolescents mental health in Nakivaale refugee settlement and examined    gender-specific risk and protective factors for mental health among Congolese refugees in Uganda, underscoring his active engagement in psychosocial research with tangible social and mental health impact.

Current Grants

1. NIHR-UK Project: COBIHA- A COMMUNITY BASED INTERVENTION AGAINST HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL IN RURAL BASED SETTING: A pilot study around lake Bunyonyi in Kigezi, Uganda. Collaboration between University of Southampton, Makerere University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Kabale University. Funded by NIHR-UK( £100,000) as CO-PI

 Past Grants

2. Improving management of post-traumatic stress in orphans and vulnerable children in Nakivaale Refugee Settlement Camp. WUN PROJECT in Collaboration with University of Southampton UK, University of Ghana, University of Ibadan Nigeria and Makerere University. Funded by World Universities Network (USA) £10,000 POUNDS as CO-PI
3. NCKU’s(National Chen Kung University in Taiwan in Collaboration with Ministry of Education, Taiwan. Funded by Taiwan’s government in Collaboration with Ministry of Education(10,000 USD) as a CO-PI
4. Challenges, barriers and opportunities faced by refugees in Kyaka II Settlement in Uganda. Funded by DENISH GOVERNMENT. 10,000 POUNDS as a CO-PI
5. Effectiveness of Cognitive behaviour therapy for mental health problems among adult patients with type-II diabetes mellitus: a controlled study. Funded by UG GOV’T /MAK RIF2( 99,000,000UGX) as a C0-PI
6. Identifying psychosocial impact of COVID-19 and promising practices for meeting the mental health and protection needs to SGBV of vulnerable populations during a protracted crisis in Kampala Slums. Funded by UG GOV’T /MAK RIF2 (40,000,000UGX) as PI (Principal Investigator) https://rif.mak.ac.ug/list-of-rif2-awardees/
7. Evaluating the effectiveness of Resilience and Coping Psychosocial Intervention delivered to Families experiencing COVID-19 related Psychosocial Stress in Kampala city. Funded by UG GOV’T /MAK RIF2 as CO-PI https://rif.mak.ac.ug/list-of-rif2-awardees/