
Overview
Background
Dr. Amani Kasherwa is a social work lecturer in the School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work at the University of Queensland (UQ), with expertise in childhood trauma. His primary research focus is on child sexual abuse, particularly among children and families exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in complex humanitarian settings. Amani's work deeply explores the intersection of childhood trauma, including intergenerational trauma and access to support services for children and young people affected by various forms of childhood adversities. He is highly engaged in the fields of critical childhood and youth studies, peacebuilding, family violence, and mental health services.
Amani brings his extensive research, teaching and practice experiences to enrich the learning experiences of undergraduate and postgraduate students at UQ. He received his PhD in Social Work from the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) in 2024, with a thesis titled "Negotiating Survival Overseas: Exploring the Help-Seeking Processes and Support Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Survivors in African Communities with Refugee Backgrounds in New South Wales." His research agenda post-PhD focuses on developing culturally safe prevention strategies for children, young people, and families transitioning from refugee settlements and negotiating a new life in high-income countries like Australia, building on the foundation of social work and peacebuilding theories and methods.
Availability
- Dr Amani Kasherwa is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Development Studies, Universite Evangelique en Afrique
- Masters (Coursework) of Social Work, Makerere University
- Doctor of Philosophy of Social Work, University of New South Wales
Works
Search Professor Amani Kasherwa’s works on UQ eSpace
2025
Journal Article
Adverse childhood experiences, social networks and help-seeking experiences of African-background refugee children: Towards a refugee children’s Network-Episode Model
Kasherwa, Amani, Lenette, Caroline and Fernandez, Elizabeth (2025). Adverse childhood experiences, social networks and help-seeking experiences of African-background refugee children: Towards a refugee children’s Network-Episode Model. Children and Youth Services Review, 170 108146, 108146. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108146
2025
Journal Article
Bouncing back after trauma: music therapy, gender, and mental health in conflict-ridden settings
Alexandre, Ali Bitenga, Kasherwa, Amani, Balegamire, Juvenal Bazilashe Mukungu, Tunangoya, Jonathan Yoyu, Mukanga, Lampard Omari, Buhendwa, Freddy Zihindula, Rusagulira, Marc Ombeni, Hilaire, Masheka Mirango, Busane, Phillipe Amani, Mugisho, Gilbert Mubalama and Mukengere, Denis Mukwege (2025). Bouncing back after trauma: music therapy, gender, and mental health in conflict-ridden settings. Discover Mental Health, 5 (1) 15, 1. doi: 10.1007/s44192-025-00137-1
2025
Journal Article
Psychosocial wellbeing and risk perception of older adults during COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: perspectives on the role of social workers
Rahman, Farah Naz, Iwuagwu, Anthony Obinna, Ngwu, Christopher Ndubuisi, Kalu, Michael Ebe, Kasherwa, Amani, Tasnim, Anika, Chowdhury, Mohamman Rocky Khan, Rashid, Mamunur and Kader, Manzur (2025). Psychosocial wellbeing and risk perception of older adults during COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: perspectives on the role of social workers. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15 1505279, 15. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1505279
2025
Book Chapter
Breaking barriers or building walls? Strategies to overcome the barriers to help-seeking among Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) survivors from refugee backgrounds
Kasherwa, Amani, Lenette, Caroline and Fernandez, Elizabeth (2025). Breaking barriers or building walls? Strategies to overcome the barriers to help-seeking among Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) survivors from refugee backgrounds. The Routledge handbook of child and family social work research. (pp. 768-782) edited by Elizabeth Fernandez, Penelope Welbourne, Bethany Lee and Joyce L. C. Ma. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003241492-53
2024
Journal Article
“This is not why we brought our children here!”: Tensions and challenges in responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences in African-background refugee families
Kasherwa, Amani, Fernandez, Elizabeth and Lenette, Caroline (2024). “This is not why we brought our children here!”: Tensions and challenges in responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences in African-background refugee families. Child Abuse and Neglect, 158 107101, 107101. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107101
2024
Journal Article
‘I Can’t Even Talk to My Parents About It’: South Sudanese Youth Advocates’ Perspectives on Suicide Through Reflexive Discussions and Collaborative Poetic Inquiry
Kasherwa, Amani, Lenette, Caroline, Arop, Achol and Duot, Ajang (2024). ‘I Can’t Even Talk to My Parents About It’: South Sudanese Youth Advocates’ Perspectives on Suicide Through Reflexive Discussions and Collaborative Poetic Inquiry. Social Sciences, 13 (12) 644, 644. doi: 10.3390/socsci13120644
2024
Journal Article
Connecting the experiences of persons with disabilities and social workers in Nigerian care institutions regarding COVID-19 vaccine uptake: a qualitative descriptive-interpretive design
Rahman, Farah Naz, Iwuagwu, Anthony Obinna, Ngwu, Christopher Ndubuisi, Kalu, Michael Ebe, Kasherwa, Amani, Chowdhury, Mohammad Rocky Khan and Kader, Manzur (2024). Connecting the experiences of persons with disabilities and social workers in Nigerian care institutions regarding COVID-19 vaccine uptake: a qualitative descriptive-interpretive design. Frontiers in Public Health, 12 1466313. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1466313
2024
Journal Article
Ubuntu-informed approaches for addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV): Scope, rationale, and implications for Social Work
Kasherwa, Amani, Kapalata, Murhula and Twikirize, Janestic Mwende (2024). Ubuntu-informed approaches for addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV): Scope, rationale, and implications for Social Work. SSRN Electronic Journal, 1-20. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.4753200
2024
Book Chapter
Ubuntu-informed approaches to address conflict-related sexual violence
Kasherwa, Amani, Kapalata, Murhula and Twikirize, Janestic Mwende (2024). Ubuntu-informed approaches to address conflict-related sexual violence. Ubuntu philosophy and decolonising social work fields of practice in Africa. (pp. 231-245) edited by Janestic Mwende Twikirize, Sharlotte Tusasiirwe and Rugare Mugumbate. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003330370-21
2023
Journal Article
The roles and ethics of psychosocial support workers in integrated health services for sexual and gender-based violence survivors
Kasherwa, Amani Clovis, Alexandre, Ali Bitenga, Mugisho, Gilbert Mubalama, Foussiakda, Agino Cecilia and Balegamire, Juvenal Bazilashe (2023). The roles and ethics of psychosocial support workers in integrated health services for sexual and gender-based violence survivors. Journal of Social Work, 23 (3), 586-607. doi: 10.1177/14680173221144551
2022
Journal Article
Sexual and gender-based violence victims’ satisfaction of the support services through the holistic model of care in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Mugisho, Gilbert M., Maroyi, Raha, Nabami, Solange, Kasherwa, Amani C., Bitenga, Ali and Mukwege, Denis (2022). Sexual and gender-based violence victims’ satisfaction of the support services through the holistic model of care in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Discover Social Science and Health, 2 (1) 22, 1-14. doi: 10.1007/s44155-022-00025-x
2020
Journal Article
The challenges affecting foster care in a “failed-state” context: case of the SEDI child protection network in South-Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo
Foussiakda, Agino Cécilia and Kasherwa, Amani Clovis (2020). The challenges affecting foster care in a “failed-state” context: case of the SEDI child protection network in South-Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Children and Youth Services Review, 116 105217. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105217
2020
Journal Article
‘The role of youth organizations in peacebuilding in the African Great Lakes Region: a rough transition from local and non-governmental to the national and governmental peacebuilding efforts in Burundi and eastern DRC’
Kasherwa, Amani C. (2020). ‘The role of youth organizations in peacebuilding in the African Great Lakes Region: a rough transition from local and non-governmental to the national and governmental peacebuilding efforts in Burundi and eastern DRC’. Journal of Peace Education, 17 (2), 123-160. doi: 10.1080/17400201.2019.1688139
2018
Journal Article
Interventions addressing ritualistic child sexual abuse in post-conflict Eastern DRC: Reflections on child welfare policy and programming
Kasherwa, Amani C. and Twikirize, Janestic M. (2018). Interventions addressing ritualistic child sexual abuse in post-conflict Eastern DRC: Reflections on child welfare policy and programming. International Social Work, 63 (2), 193-205. doi: 10.1177/0020872818806347
2018
Journal Article
Ritualistic child sexual abuse in post-conflict Eastern DRC: factors associated with the phenomenon and implications for social work
Kasherwa, Amani Clovis and Twikirize, Janestic Mwende (2018). Ritualistic child sexual abuse in post-conflict Eastern DRC: factors associated with the phenomenon and implications for social work. Child Abuse and Neglect, 81, 74-81. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.04.012
2018
Journal Article
Decentralization and access to basic social services in post-conflict DRC : the promise and the disillusion
Clovis, Amani Kasherwa and Twikirize, Janestic Mwende (2018). Decentralization and access to basic social services in post-conflict DRC : the promise and the disillusion. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (Oman Chapter), 7 (3), 28-37. doi: 10.12816/0046982
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Amani Kasherwa is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Amani Kasherwa directly for media enquiries about:
- Child Sexual Abuse
- Childhood Adversity
- Refugee children
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