Live Webinar
GXC 2025 Online Virtual Conference - Mental Health Without Borders
UKORC Foundation and Global Partnerships in Action
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UKORC Foundation and Global Partnerships in Action
0.0 CE Hours
Intermediate
$99
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Description
The UKORC Foundation (Utu Kwanza Orphanage and Rehabilitation Center), founded in 2023, is pioneering Tanzania’s movement toward recovery-oriented alternatives to criminalization. Grounded in the principle that “every human being should be given an equal chance,” UKORC leads national efforts to reduce stigma, expand harm reduction programs, and create sustainable recovery pathways for people with substance use disorder.
This session highlights how UKORC, through its partnerships with Kurunzi ya Jamii (KURUJA), the Tanzania Red Cross Society, and international collaborators, is reshaping substance use and recovery services in Tanzania. Current initiatives include harm reduction programs (needle and syringe distribution, naloxone access, condom distribution), Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous facilitation, rehabilitation center development, and capacity-building trainings for sober houses and treatment providers. Together, these efforts establish a foundation for deflection policies that treat substance use as a health issue rather than a criminal offense.
Hasani and Oggey will discuss the origins, mission, and current projects of UKORC Foundation, emphasizing its role as the central driver of integrated deflection and recovery models in Tanzania.
Nathan Koranda will share the role of KOPI Medical and other global partners (including PTACC) in providing technical training and international expertise to support UKORC’s mission.
Sarah Ndaba will describe the DCEA’s contributions in aligning legal frameworks with recovery-focused approaches, reinforcing how DCEA’s work strengthens UKORC’s broader vision.
By centering on UKORC Foundation’s leadership and mission, the discussion illustrates how cross-sector partnerships are advancing a national recovery framework in Tanzania—one that integrates health, legal, and community responses to build a society where recovery, not stigma, is the foundation of justice and care.
This session highlights how UKORC, through its partnerships with Kurunzi ya Jamii (KURUJA), the Tanzania Red Cross Society, and international collaborators, is reshaping substance use and recovery services in Tanzania. Current initiatives include harm reduction programs (needle and syringe distribution, naloxone access, condom distribution), Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous facilitation, rehabilitation center development, and capacity-building trainings for sober houses and treatment providers. Together, these efforts establish a foundation for deflection policies that treat substance use as a health issue rather than a criminal offense.
Hasani and Oggey will discuss the origins, mission, and current projects of UKORC Foundation, emphasizing its role as the central driver of integrated deflection and recovery models in Tanzania.
Nathan Koranda will share the role of KOPI Medical and other global partners (including PTACC) in providing technical training and international expertise to support UKORC’s mission.
Sarah Ndaba will describe the DCEA’s contributions in aligning legal frameworks with recovery-focused approaches, reinforcing how DCEA’s work strengthens UKORC’s broader vision.
By centering on UKORC Foundation’s leadership and mission, the discussion illustrates how cross-sector partnerships are advancing a national recovery framework in Tanzania—one that integrates health, legal, and community responses to build a society where recovery, not stigma, is the foundation of justice and care.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
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Describe the UKORC Foundation’s deflection and diversion model and evaluate how its leadership is shaping integrated recovery pathways in under-resourced and low-income settings, using Tanzania as a case example.
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Identify the primary clinical, social, and environmental risk factors faced by individuals diverted into UKORC-supported community care programs, and analyze how these factors influence recovery planning.
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Discuss culturally informed assessment tools and biopsychosocial approaches applied within UKORC-led initiatives, highlighting how they adapt global best practices to the realities of Tanzania.
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Analyze UKORC’s cross-sector partnerships with NGOs, health providers, and justice systems, and explain how these collaborations contribute to evidence-informed, sustainable outcomes in Integrated Risk Reduction and Recovery Models.
Educational Goal
This session will enhance participants’ understanding of recovery-oriented alternatives to criminalization in low-resource settings, fostering greater clinical sophistication in applying culturally informed, evidence-based deflection and diversion models. Through examining the UKORC Foundation’s integrated partnerships in Tanzania, participants will be better equipped to design and implement collaborative recovery frameworks that bridge health, legal, and community systems in their future clinical practice.
UKORC_CE_Session 1 (1)
Presenters
I am 49 years old, grew up in Tanzania, and I have been living in Italy for almost twenty years, working in the field of drug addiction as a social worker at Villa Maraini Foundation in Rome. My professional and personal journey inspired me to address the challenges faced by vulnerable communities in my country of origin (Tanzania). In 2023 I founded Ukorc Foundation (Utu Kwanza Orphanage and Rehabilitation Center), a non-profit humanitarian organization committed to supporting orphans and people struggling with addiction. Guided by the principles of dignity and care, we are now preparing to open our first rehabilitation center in Pangani, Tanzania, with the goal of offering hope, treatment, and opportunities for a better future.
Mental health leader with more than a decade of experience advancing access to psychiatric care for youth, underserved populations, and first responders. Demonstrated success in leading nonprofit, clinical, and international programs focused on trauma, equity, and community resilience. As Executive Director and Co-Founder of KOPI, Nathan has directed international initiatives in Tanzania to train first responders, police, and firefighters in prehospital emergency medicine and mental health, partnering with the Ministry of Health, Duke University, The University of Iowa, and global collaborators. He has also advanced deflection initiatives in the United States and partnered with colleagues in Italy and Kenya to strengthen international approaches to addiction and mental health. His career reflects a unique blend of experience as a psychiatric nurse practitioner and former paramedic, with a strong record of innovation, partnership-building, and strategic program development across global and domestic contexts. Dedicated to sustainable solutions, he continues to expand system-level access to care and improve long-term mental health outcomes.
Degrees and Licenses
Doctor of Nursing Practice, Psychiatric Mental Health – University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Bemidji State University
Associate of Science in Nursing – North Hennepin Community College
Associate of Applied Science in Paramedic – Waubonsee Community College
Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC), American Nurses Credentialing Center
Registered Nurse and Certified Nurse Practitioner, Minnesota Board of Nursing
Hassani Saidi Mbonde is a Tanzanian media professional and community leader dedicated to communication and public health advocacy. With a background in television production and mass communication, he has worked with CTN Television, Channel Ten, and currently serves as Public Relations Officer at Tanzania Railways Corporation.
In 2022, Hassani founded Kurunzi ya Jamii, an NGO focused on substance use awareness, stigma reduction, and social reintegration for people who use drugs. He later launched Zinduka, a public campaign promoting prevention and education on substance abuse. Today, he serves as Executive Director of the UKORC Foundation, where he leads harm reduction and community health programs.
Hassani combines media expertise and grassroots leadership to drive positive social change.
Sarah Felix Ndaba is a highly accomplished Social Welfare Officer with over seven years of experience in advancing drug prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation initiatives in Tanzania. She holds both a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the Institute of Social Work in Dar es Salaam.
In her role as Principal Social Welfare Officer at the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority, Ms. Ndaba has played a pivotal role in supervising and mobilizing Civil Society Organizations and community groups to strengthen engagement in addressing substance use challenges. She has spearheaded the development and implementation of targeted interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination against individuals with substance use disorders, while fostering strategic partnerships with international organizations to enhance support for local stakeholders and communities.
Ms. Ndaba is deeply passionate about social empowerment and dedicated to improving the circumstances and quality of life of vulnerable individuals. Her professional commitment extends to child welfare, where she serves as a member of the National Committee for Coordinating Interventions for Children Living and Working on the Streets.
With a reputation for compassion, dedication, and strategic leadership, she continues to champion inclusive and evidence-based approaches that contribute to healthier, more resilient communities.