MENTAL WELLNESS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
During the youth week, 2020, we were able to conduct awareness creation on mental health to 100 youth on self care and living positively during Coivd-19. This was in collaboration with Black Coffee Network, Ajiry
World suicide prevention, 2020 we created awareness on suicide and how self-care can prevent suicide cases. The activity was in collaboration with PDO and Black Coffee Network. We lit candles to remember those who died by suicide. Through radio Yetu we were able to create awareness and have an individual share his experience in suicidal attempts and how he was able to overcome
During the May mental health awareness month, we had a mental health walk, we incorporated yoga as one of the ways to stay grounded together with the healing benefits of nature (nature therapy). It was in partnership with hyrax hill and black coffee network.
Still in May, we had a men and mental health talk, we addressed why men don’t open up, why they should open up more and how we as professionals together with the society can support them in the unlearning, learning and re learning journey. It was in partnership with community empowerment program and the American spaces at the Kenya National library.
We also do media advocacy. We had a Facebook live on celebrities and mental health, hosting Helen Mtawali, we had weekly radio shows on mental health and psychosocial support, and tweet chats on myths and misconceptions on mental health issues. All this is in partnership with Radio Yetu, J.rodriguez entertainment.
In the month of November, we were part of the Nakuru County moms and dads mental health, the theme being “its okay not to be okay” to break the stigma around mental health, on the same month we held talks and outdoor activities with the teens to understand the ongoing issues with schools (delinquency and burning of schools), this was in collaboration with Arcadian counseling center and hyrax hill.
Currently we are implementing a program dubbed Okoa Kairetu funded by UAFA that focuses on teenage mothers to offer psychosocial support, through group therapies, family therapy, documentary, social media engagement, radio talk show, and community outreaches.
We offer individual and group therapy sessions for community. We have worked with midrift hurinet’s pm plus program, for therapy referrals of individuals who are over 18.
“What mental health needs is more sunshine, more openness and more spaces for candid conversations.”