One year ago, the “Youth Mental Health Toolkit On 5 Emerging Issues in Africa” was launched under the hashtag #ICanSurvive. The toolkit was pioneered by Ms. Chido Cleopatra Mpemba African Union Chairperson’s Envoy on Youth and supported by key experts and stakeholders across the globe including the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement MHPSS Hub (formerly known as the IFRC Psychosocial Centre).
“The toolkit was groundbreaking in its quality and scope, drawing from the output of over 50,000 young people across the African continent and its diaspora. Feedback from our contacts in the region indicates that it has had a significant impact in addressing a major challenge,” says MHPSS Specialist and focal point for the African region, Guleed Dualeh from the RCRC MHPSS Hub.
The IFRC regional office and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Africa, have long been involved in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), having harvested and contributed expertise and know-how within the Movement and beyond. They affirm that the toolkit is of high relevance for experts in the region.
“As a medical doctor and representative of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, I have found the toolkit to be invaluable in both my personal and professional life. It aligns with my medical understanding of the connection between mental and physical health. It provides practical strategies; which benefit both my well-being and the populations we serve in humanitarian settings and enables me to manage the pressures of both my medical and humanitarian roles,”says Ethiopia RCS Youth President, Dr Addisalem Mulat (representing the youth volunteer constituency of the Ethiopia RCS), continuing: “Through the ERCS the toolkit plays a role in promoting mental health awareness and offering a holistic approach to care, addressing both physical and mental health. I believe it will continue to enhance our ability to improve and to promote mental health and provide support to vulnerable populations in challenging or crisis situations”.
The work to ensure the mental well-being of youth in the African region continues across a variety of challenges and topics and in Eswatini the Red Cross Society recently hosted a Youth Day, bringing together young Volunteers from various branches to learn about gender-based violence (GBV) and mental health. The event hosted at St John’s Anglican Church, emphasized the importance of addressing these issues, especially among the youth.
“Our youth are critical in the fight against GBV and mental health issues broadly,”said Ncamsile Gama, National Society Development Coordinator for Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society, adding: “They are our future, but statistics show that they are vulnerable to these challenges, with 25% of suicides and 55% of GBV victims being young people”.
Two guest speakers at the event, Phesihle Myeza, a psychologist and counsellor, and Phumlile Mngometulu, a nurse at the Red Cross Clinic Mahwalala, shared their expertise on mental health and GBV respectively.
For more information
