On March 9, 2022, we gathered at the Kolping Hotel in Kampala to launch the TOPOWA Project. The world was just beginning to emerge from the disruptions of COVID-19, and bringing researchers, community leaders, and partners together in one room felt both hopeful and uncertain. By that time, we had just received funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and the scientific architecture of the study had already been carefully designed. Yet that gathering marked somethi

In honor of International Mother Language Day Each year on February 21, the United Nations recognizes International Mother Language Day — a reminder that language shapes how we think, connect, and feel a sense of belonging. (If you're interested in the 2026 theme of youth voices visit the UN website ) For me, this day is deeply personal. So, let me share some reflections. I am not a native English speaker. Swedish is my mother tongue (and I'm actually half Swedish and half Fi

Through 17 peer-reviewed publications, the TOPOWA Project has helped reshape how women’s mental health is understood in rapidly urbanizing, low-resource settings. Why TOPOWA? Rethinking Urban Mental Health This collective and ongoing work demonstrates that mental health in urban settings is deeply influenced by neighborhood conditions, including safety, social ties, environmental stress, and access to opportunity, moving beyond narrow explanations focused only on individual

The TOPOWA Project continues to break new ground in our efforts to understand how SocioEconomic Strengthening Targeted Training (SeSTT)...