Digital Mental Health Initiative

Guided Act
and Feel Rwanda

Supporting mental health in Rwanda — an innovative digital service helping people with depression through guided online behavioural activation, one action at a time.

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Friends smiling together
10–15
Minutes to complete

What is Act & Feel?

Act and Feel is a digital mental health intervention based on Behavioural Activation (BA) therapy. It is guided by trained lay counsellors — such as community health workers, cybercafé employees, or hairdressers — and supervised by clinical psychologists.

Rooted in evidence-based psychology and adapted for Rwanda's unique cultural and digital landscape, this intervention empowers individuals to reclaim emotional well-being, one action at a time.

A trained supervisor will contact each participant by phone weekly to provide guidance and ensure they fully understand the programme content.

How to participate?

  • 1
    Answer the survey The questionnaire will take you just 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
  • 2
    Share your information Personal details (age, profession), your mental health status, and your opinion on this telemedicine programme.
  • 3
    Recommend the service You will also be asked about your willingness to use or recommend this service to others.
Click here to participate
Act and Feel Rwanda Flyer

Lead Researcher

Theogene Uwizeyimana

Theogene Uwizeyimana

PhD Candidate · Amsterdam UMC

Theogene Uwizeyimana

Theogene is a PhD student in the Department of Psychiatry at the Amsterdam University Medical Center, Netherlands. His research focuses on the use of technology in treating specific mental health conditions, such as depression, in Rwanda.

He also examines how technology can be used to deliver mental health services in developing countries, particularly across Africa.

Theogene's research is funded by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie GROW COFUND Programme, funded by the European Union. He previously worked at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Rwanda, carrying out research on the USAID "Gikuriro Kuri Bose" programme for Inclusive Nutrition and Early Childhood Development (INECD).

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In 2023, Theogene received the Merck Foundation's "Best Young African Researcher Award", recognising excellence in African public health research.

Our Team

Dr. Nadia Van Der Spek

Dr. Nadia Van Der Spek

Senior Researcher in the Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC & Urban Mental Health, Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dr. Darius Gishoma

Dr. Darius Gishoma

Mental Health Division Manager, Rwanda Biomedical Center; Ministry of Health & Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda

Prof. dr. Claudi Bockting

Prof. dr. Claudi Bockting

Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, licensed clinical psychologist, Amsterdam UMC & Centre for Urban Mental Health, Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

Who supports us

Amsterdam UMC
University of Amsterdam
EU Funded
Rwanda Biomedical Center
GROW COFUND