Alcohol Addiction Disrupted Education, Life for Uganda's Mark Otim

Mark Otim, a 38-year-old outreach coordinator at PACTA Uganda, has shared his story of battling substance abuse for nearly two decades. His addiction to alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana began in secondary school and disrupted his education, causing him to attend 14 different schools and four colleges without obtaining a qualification. Otim's academic performance suffered due to his substance abuse, and he was repeatedly transferred between schools.

Otim's struggle with addiction continued through his tertiary education. He enrolled in a medical certificate course at Mulago, but his proximity to Wandegeya, an area known for nightlife, created a temptation he could not resist. He became known among students for identifying places to buy alcohol and recruiting others to join him. Otim eventually abandoned the course and enrolled in business management at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology, but his behavior did not change.

Otim's addiction issues escalated during his time at Kyambogo University, where he was studying for an Information Technology certificate. His drinking circles in Banda, Acholi Quarters, Kireka, and Kinawataka took precedence over his studies, and his substance use expanded to include marijuana, cigarettes, and miraa. A significant incident occurred when he was entrusted with 10 million Shillings to deliver to a priest but spent the money on alcohol, drugs, and entertainment instead.

The incident led to a breakdown in trust with his relatives and acquaintances. Otim withdrew from his family and took casual jobs to finance his drug use. His fourth attempt at tertiary education was at St Francis School of Health Sciences, where he enrolled for a medical laboratory certificate course. However, the program took seven years to complete due to retakes, late registration, and disruptions caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.

Otim's addiction had a significant impact on his health and family relationships. His father had left Uganda to work abroad when Otim was in Senior One and returned to find his son struggling with addiction. Otim's responsibility for caring for his younger siblings after his mother's death in 2006 contributed to his emotional distress. His sister's intervention ultimately led him to seek help at PACTA Uganda on May 3, 2022.

Otim's experience at PACTA Uganda was transformative. His first meeting with the organisation's founder and executive director, Fr. Samuel Okidi Mwaka, changed his view of addiction and recovery. Otim spent seven months receiving medical support, psycho-education, and individual counseling. The Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program played a crucial role in his recovery, particularly its first step, which helped him acknowledge his powerlessness over alcohol.

Today, Otim is an outreach coordinator at PACTA Uganda, supporting others facing addiction. He completed his medical laboratory course and graduated within a year of completing rehabilitation. Otim is currently upgrading to a diploma in medical laboratory studies at St Mary's Hospital and hopes to continue with further studies. He wants to use his experience to help others understand that recovery is possible.

Key points

• Mark Otim spent 20 years battling substance abuse, which disrupted his education and strained family relationships.
• Otim's experience at PACTA Uganda's rehabilitation center was transformative, helping him acknowledge his addiction and begin his recovery.
• Otim now supports others facing addiction as an outreach coordinator at PACTA Uganda and is pursuing further education.