Manuela P. Mulondo, a well-known advocate for gender equality, women’s empowerment, early childhood enthusiast, and entrepreneur, has revealed a deeply personal battle that shaped her journey—her struggle with depression.
Speaking candidly during an appearance on NTV’s Mwasuze Mutya, Manuela admitted that recognizing and accepting depression is far from simple.
“Where you start from is accepting that I am not doing well,” she said. “I refused to accept that I was not doing well until I got into depression.”
For a long time, she pushed through her days, ignoring the warning signs, until her body and mind could no longer carry the weight. The lowest moments came during long, sleepless nights.
“The time came when I couldn’t sleep,” she recalled. “I took three days without sleep. I would question myself—what had fallen me? But I had lots of thoughts in my mind and nothing I could accomplish.”
Amid this storm, Manuela experienced what she describes as a spiritual awakening.
“God spoke to me,” she said softly. “Telling me I wasn’t organized and planning.”
That realization became her turning point. Manuela embraced personal planning as a tool for healing—rebuilding her life with structure, intentionality, and self-awareness. Today, she uses her voice not only to fight for gender equality but also to remind others, especially women, of the importance of prioritizing mental health. Her message is clear: acknowledging struggle is not weakness, but the first step toward healing.
Reflecting on her upbringing, she credits her mother for shaping her values. “My mom taught me the importance of marrying the right person,” she said. “Through her own experiences, she showed me how wrong it is to date a married man, and she also taught me to build meaningful relationships.”
Now, Manuela channels her lessons into advocacy, urging others to embrace planning as a life skill that brings balance to home, work, and everyday living.
Watch Manuela P. Mulondo as she discusses what she believes causes depression and shares her personal experience with it.#MwasuzeMutya pic.twitter.com/beZXBsRWXy
— NTV UGANDA (@ntvuganda) October 1, 2025
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