OUR WORK
Teaching TM in Uganda
“TM has calmed me down and I feel happy from inside because I can manage stress better. I am thankful that I can do something to take care of myself and my children”
Whether caring for the concerns of family or pursuing a career, many women have a tendency to become overwhelmed by pressure and worries, leading to depression and chronic anxiety. The Transcendental Meditation technique significantly reduces anxiety by calming the nervous system and providing the experience of profound inner peace.
Research has found that TM practice has a truly holistic affect on health, with normalization of hormone levels, blood pressure and measurable improvements in diabetes, cholesterol, cardiovascular health and brain functioning. The body starts to maintain a more rested, calm and energetic style of functioning even outside of meditation, making us more resilient to stress.
AWAGO has taught over 1000 individuals the TM technique
Improving Health of Women and Children
“TM has calmed me down and I feel happy from inside because I can manage stress better. I am thankful that I can do something to take care of myself and my children.”
Benefits for Youth
- 21% increase in high school graduation rate Education 133 (4): 495-500, 2013
- 10% improvement in test scores and GPA Education 131: 556–565, 2011
- Increased attendance and decreased suspensions for high school students Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 1:10, 2003
- Reduced ADHD symptoms and symptoms of other learning disorders Mind & Brain: The Journal of Psychiatry 2 (1): 73-81, 2011
- Increased intelligence and creativity Intelligence 29: 419-440, 2001
- 40% reduction in psychological distress, including stress, anxiety and depression American Journal of Hypertension 22(12): 1326-1331, 2009
- Reduction in teacher burnout and perceived stress Permanante Journal 18 (1): 19-23, 2014
Education 133 (4):495-501, 2013
Benefits for Women
- Reduced flashbacks and bad memories Military Medicine 176 (6): 626-630, 2011
- Greater resistance to stress Psychosomatic Medicine 35: 341–349, 1973
- Twice the effectiveness of conventional approaches for reducing alcoholism and substance abuse Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994
- 42% decrease in insomnia Journal of Counseling and Development 64: 212-215, 1985
- Twice as effective as other relaxation techniques for decreasing trait anxiety Journal of Clinical Psychology 45(6): 957–974, 1989
- Improved quality of life Military Medicine 176 (6): 626-630, 2011
Physiology & Behavior 35: 591–595, 1985
Journal of Clinical Psychology 45: 957–974, 1989
Education
The Transcendental Meditation technique has rapidly become a well-recognized and successful evidence-based educational tool for enhancing the lives of students all around the world.
The Ideal Girls High School in Mbale District
The Ideal Girls School (IGHS) is a rare achievement by a unique school, created to fill the need for education for girls in Uganda. The Transcendental Meditation is a core feature of the school—all students learn the TM technique upon entering the school and enjoy twice daily practice at the beginning and end of the school day.
Peace High School
Honorable Erinah Rutangye and husband Martin Rutangye are the Directors of Peace High School in Kampala where the Transcendental Meditation technique has been offered since 2012 as the Quiet Time Programme.
TM Club For University Women
The TM Club for University Women offers women in higher education the opportunity to come together to enjoy group meditation, advanced lectures, seminars and short courses, volunteer work and meetings with international leaders. Because the strength of society and the character of national life directly depend on the quality of consciousness of the women of the nation, it is through the personal growth and enlightenment of women everywhere that we will most effectively and peacefully transform the world.
EDAPO School
EDAPO (Economic Development and AIDS Prevention Organization), situated just north of the capital of Kampala, provides food, shelter, education, and basic medical care to hundreds of children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Over half of these children are also living with HIV/AIDS. The EDAPO school has implemented the Transcendental Meditation practice for its students. School leaders have found that the Transcendental Meditation technique has helped these children overcome depression and has brought back the spark of joy for them.
Building Partnerships
Corporate Wellness Programs
AWAGO is also currently offering programs in the corporate environment, teaching exclusively to the population of women and girls to address the particular needs of women to reduce stress-related health issues. The introduction of the TM technique has been found to be a practical and effective way to help a company achieve its goals and objectives by providing support for the well-being of its employees. Documented benefits for the corporate environment include: increased efficiency and productivity, enhanced creativity, improved communication, improved interpersonal relationships, reduced absenteeism, and increased overall well-being and job satisfaction.
Shanti Uganda Society and Maternal Care
AWAGO is proud to be starting a new partnership with Shanti Uganda Society. Shanti, which is a registered Canadian charity and Ugandan NGO, is working to improve infant maternal care by providing safe women-centered care and support for the well-being of birthing mothers and women living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Their work and relationships are deeply rooted at the community level offering a holistic birth model based on the midwifery model of care, embracing best practices and traditional birth methods. Located in Kasana Luweero, Shanti’s first programs began in 2008 and in the spring of 2010 they opened the doors of the Shanti Uganda Birth House. Shanti leaders have recently learned the TM technique and we are all looking forward to bringing our programs to the Shanti birthing mothers to provide the health benefits that the Transcendental Meditation technique can bring to pregnant women and to individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
Skills Development with Women’s Platform for Empowerment and Development (UWOPED)
UWOPED serves single, illiterate mothers in the village of Nsambya in Kampala, Uganda, offering various training and educational programs, including the Transcendental Meditation technique, to help these women build practical skills and capabilities with the goal to transform these women “from hopelessness to a state of productive excellence”.
https://uwoped.org/
Contact US
To organize a TM course for your organization in Uganda
Judith Nassali, National Director
African Women and Girls Organization for Total Knowledge, Uganda, Ltd.
Tel: +256 782507294
Email Us
REFERENCES
1. Cimmiotti, J., Aiken, L., Sloane, D.M., & Wu, S.M. (2012). Nurse staffing burnout, and health care—associated infection. American Journal of Infection Control. 40, 486-90.
2. Aiken, L.H., Clarke, S., Sloane, J., Sochalski, J., & Silber, J. (2002). Hospital nurse staffing and patient mortality, nurse burnout, and job dissatisfaction. JAMA, 288(16).