When Dr. Celestin Mutuyimana meets patients struggling with trauma, he does not begin with clinical jargon or detached diagnoses. Instead, he listens to their stories, taps into their cultural roots, and reminds them of the African philosophy of Ubuntu, the idea that “I am because we are.” ALSO READ: New study shows resilience can break cycle of trauma in Rwanda This approach led him to develop the Ubuntu Multisystemic Intervention (UMUTI) in 2024, a therapy that blends African values, traditions, and community-based practices with professional methods to help people and families heal. Last week, Dr. Mutuyimana was awarded the 2025 Ernst E. Boesch Prize for Cultural Psychology, an international honor that recognises his pioneering work in culturally informed psychotherapy. He is also the founder of the Baho Smile Institute in Kimironko, Kigali, a center for therapy, research, and professional training. “Western methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can be effective, but in Rwanda I found they often did not address symptoms shaped by our history and culture—such as loss of humanity, bitterness, bodily pain, unspeakable suffering, heart-wounds, and loss of purpose in life,” he explained. Many of his patients, he said, felt these imported therapies were too distant from their lived realities. He was not alone in this view—other African psychotherapists shared similar frustrations. From Individual pain to family and community healing Through years of work in post-war communities, Dr. Mutuyimana observed that trauma rarely exists in isolation. It seeps into families, creating tension and conflict, and into communities, eroding trust and unity. ALSO READ: Rwandan psychotherapist launches film on trauma and healing UMUTI takes a different path: healing the person, the family, and the community together. At the personal level, it helps individuals process trauma and rediscover meaning. Within families, it fosters communication, reduces conflict, and restores unity. Communities, too, are encouraged to rebuild trust, patience, and responsibility. “The intervention was developed using cultural values, traditions, beliefs, and local knowledge, to restore humanness, energy, and family unity affected by traumatic experiences,” he said. The program incorporates proverbs, metaphors, native languages, and traditional practices alongside therapy, creating a process that feels familiar and trustworthy to patients. Impact so far Dr. Mutuyimana says UMUTI has already prevented family separations and divorce, with more than 99% of families choosing to remain together by the end of the program. In Rwanda, over 100 people and 15 families have gone through UMUTI, while in Kenya the program has reached 15 individuals and two families. Plans are underway to expand to Tanzania and Uganda. Participants report better communication, closer relationships, and a renewed sense of purpose. Communities also benefit, as families apply Ubuntu values in everyday life, strengthening social connections and reducing conflict. “What makes UMUTI unique is that it addresses trauma in the flow of daily life,” Dr. Mutuyimana explained. “It combines professional therapy with cultural practices that people already know and trust.” Looking Ahead The psychotherapist believes UMUTI has the potential to transform trauma treatment across Africa. More research, however, is needed to adapt and scale the method in diverse settings. “My goal is to ensure people are listened to, receive care that respects their culture, and that others are trained to do the same,” he said. For him, healing is not just about recovery—it is about restoring dignity, strengthening families, and rebuilding communities through values that Africans have lived by for centuries.
