Sheila Lugaliki Empowers Mental Health Patients with Personal Care at Mathari Hospital
Sheila Lugaliki, a former Mathari patient, founded Uniquely Gifted to provide haircuts and personal care, restoring dignity to mental health patients.
By John Mtongoi Newsroom
August 19, 2026
2 min read
Sheila Lugaliki, 35, once a patient at Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, is now transforming the experience of mental health care by offering haircuts and personal grooming services to current patients.
In 2023, she established the Uniquely Gifted Organisation with a mission to go beyond medical treatment and help patients regain their self-worth through dignity-centred care. Her initiative, known as the Wellness and Dignity programme, started by focusing on women and has since expanded to include men in the psychiatric wards.
Restoring Identity through Personal Care
Sheila emphasizes that mental health treatment often prioritizes clinical stabilization but can neglect the patient’s sense of identity. She believes that simple acts like haircuts and personal grooming send a powerful message that patients remain valued individuals deserving of care and respect.
"These small gestures can help patients reconnect with themselves and foster engagement, often leading to visible improvements in mood and social interaction," she explained.
Collaborative Approach and Broader Vision
- Sheila collaborates with beauty schools, barbershops, and volunteers who regularly visit Mathari to provide grooming services.
- Her work also includes advocacy as the secretary of the Kenyan chapter of the Association for the Prevention of Self-harm and Suicide (ASPA), focusing on national self-harm prevention strategies.
- She aims to expand the dignity-centred care model to other public mental health facilities across Kenya, promoting it as a standard part of recovery rather than an occasional service.
Sheila’s lived experience as a former patient uniquely informs her approach, underscoring the importance of compassion and holistic support in mental health recovery.
"A mental health diagnosis should never strip a person of their dignity," she said. "By integrating personal care into treatment, we remind patients they are seen, valued, and deserving of care."
