University of Cape Town

Wellington Mhishi is an MPhil fellow from Zimbabwe funded by the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI). He holds a BSSc Special Honors Degree Psychology from Great Zimbabwe University and he is currently studying towards a Master of Philosophy in Public Mental Health with the University of Cape Town. His research interests are in the experiences faced by ex-offenders with mental illness and their caregivers following discharge from psychiatric prison care.

Wellington is a Correctional Officer with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (Z.P.C.S). Over the years he has been working as a Clinical Social Worker at Chikurubi Psychiatric wing where mental patients undergo psychiatric evaluation (from collaborative work of various clinicians) and treatment before discharge into the community after full recuperation. In 2016 he was redeployed at Z.P.C.S Staff College where he is the directing staff (Lecturer) of Psychology where he mainstreams mental health in the subject area. Mainstreaming mental health issues in the staff college curriculum is an essential way of enhancing acquisition of work related skills to managers and prepare them for leadership roles and develop their competences in correctional management across the board.

He intends to be a researcher in the field of mental health and publish research articles which he hope will influence policy in Zimbabwe and other Low and Middle Income Countries (LAMICs) so that they develop home grown solutions in strengthening of mental health systems. He intends to work with other stakeholders who also have interest in mental health both at national and international level.

Supervisors:

Prof Katherine Sorsdahl, University of Cape Town

Dr Petal Petersen Williams, South African Medical Research Council, University of Cape Town

Dr Walter Mangezi, University of Zimbabwe