“In many African families, it’s really the woman who is the backbone of that household. When she is strong, the family thrives. When she is weak or suffering, the entire family suffers.” – Sean Mayberry This is one of the many key insights about mental health in Africa shared by our own Sean Mayberry when he…
A period of grief is normal after the loss of a loved one. But when the grief fails to eventually subside or is compounded by subsequent traumas, depression can often ensue. This is how Gloria, a young woman in Zambia, began her journey with depression. In 2003, when she was six years old, her mother…
In some villages in Zambia, it is considered tradition to inherit a marriage after the death of a sibling or cousin, regardless of your age. This was Mary’s fate when she was 17 years old. Her relatives married her off to her late cousin’s husband, forcing her to quit school. “This marriage arrangement was done…
Meet Deborah, a 34-year old widow and mother living with HIV. She lost her husband six years ago and is caring for his many orphaned children. Life had become meaningless after testing positive for HIV and she even thought of committing suicide. When Deborah first started the StrongMinds Talk Therapy Group, she did not fully…
Meet Doreen & Jaffar Doreen carries herself confidently, her smile as striking as the bright green dress she wears for her school uniform. But there remains a sense of sadness in her eyes as she recalls her recent past, and the path she was heading down prior to receiving depression treatment from StrongMinds. Doreen is…
Joan, 31, is the mother of three girls and the “house mother” for eight boys, at a boarding school for kids abandoned on the streets of Kampala. In this role, Joan is someone the boys can rely on to assist in their daily routines, speak with about a problem, or play a game of soccer.…
StrongMinds is pleased to announce we have expanded our mental health services to Zambia. Working closely with Zambia’s Ministry of Health and other partners, we have recruited and trained eight Zambian Mental Health Facilitators who are providing depression treatment for over 1,200 women in 2019, with plans to serve many more in the coming years.…
In December, the entire StrongMinds team was deeply saddened when we lost a dear friend and colleague. Medi Ssengooba, who served as a longstanding StrongMinds Uganda Board member and eventually Chair, passed away unexpectedly after a brief illness on December 14th. Medi lived a remarkable life. He suffered from polio as a child and spent…
HARVESTING HAPPINESS Afiya, 16, shares her story of her mother, Adellah’s recovery from the ‘Black Night’ of depression I remember that bright morning, waking up and being so excited about going to school. I was looking forward to reading my poem out loud in front of the whole class. Miss Dembe had praised my use…
To mark World Mental Health Day (10th October), StrongMinds is launching an awareness campaign called “30 Days of Good Mental Health” on popular Ugandan radio stations Capital FM and Beat FM. The media partnership will see important mental health tips and messages broadcast up to five times a day, beginning on World Mental Health Day…