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Empowering those society often overlooks; Charlottetown’s Henry Luyombya

Henry Luyombya has dedicated over 15 years to empowering those society often overlooks: the youth, refugees, immigrants, and individuals struggling with homelessness or substance abuse. Throughout his journey, he has been a beacon of support and advocacy, using his expertise in immigration, program development, and research to mentor, learn from, and uplift his community.

Currently living in Charlottetown, Henry grew up in Uganda and is a father of three children. At age 10, Henry Luyombya’s father passed away from an HIV-related illness, leaving his mother to support the family amidst significant stigma, which eventually led her to join the HIV movement. Inspired by her example, Luyombya also became involved, making such a difference that he met Nelson Mandela at age 23. Mandela’s words, “I did not do this alone. I worked with courageous young men and women,” fueled Luyombya’s hope. After moving to Canada, Henry remained committed to empowering marginalized communities.

Henry is a coach and motivational speaker who passionately believes in equity and social justice. In Canada, he has spent over ten years working with various groups with a focus on advocacy, skill-building, mental health, and research. He believes in the power of collective effort for social change, emphasizing the need for shifts in mindset, heart, health, and soul.

Luyombya works with PEERS Alliance as a clinical social worker on P.E.I., where his role is to help people make meaningful changes. His model of practice includes cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance commitment therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused therapy, utilizing psychodynamic and systems theories.

Henry is also a speaker, trainer, courage-builder, life coach, and Principal Consultant at a private firm that offers empowerment education, immigration, and counseling services in Canada and Uganda. His company provides mental health support and settlement assistance to Africans relocating to the island. In 2024, he plans to host the Global Mental Well-Being and Substance (Mis)Use Conference at the University of Prince Edward Island.