Today is the World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority. As WFAD we applaud this theme and take part in raising awareness and reduce stigma around mental health to increase the right care. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global crisis for mental health. According to the World Health Organisation, estimates put the rise in both anxiety and depressive disorders at more than 25% during the first year of the pandemic. At the same time, mental health services were severely disrupted and the treatment gap for mental health conditions has widened. Simultaneously, growing social and economic inequalities, protracted conflicts, violence and public health emergencies affect whole populations, threatening progress towards improved well-being. Therefore, mental health care should be strengthened and accessible, affordable, and of quality for everyone. However, currently, stigma and discrimination still continue to be a barrier to social inclusion and the access to right care.

Mental health is extremely important and is often times interlinked with substance use disorders. A disruptive mental health can lead to substance us as self-medication. Many with substance use disorders face co-occurring disorders, including mental health issues. This makes treatment for substance use disorders in need to be adapted to the individual and not only work with the SUD but also with the person’s mental health. Services should become more inclusive, evidence-based, accessible, and individualised.

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To commemorate the World Mental Health Day, Slum Child Foundation organised a mental health teen forum in the Korogocho slums, Kenya. The report below is prepared by Slum Child Foundation.

Slum Child Foundation organised the mental health teen’s forum, which is a component of the organisation’s school outreach program. The purpose of the event was to foster an environment where young people can discuss the difficulties associated with substance abuse and mental health issues. It also aimed to educate young people about the negative effects that substance abuse can have on their physical and mental health as well as to offer psychosocial support and, in severe cases, referrals for mental health cases that may be presented.

With the support from WFAD liaison office in Nairobi, the celebration took place on Saturday, October 1st, and delegates from the World Federation Against Drugs, that included representatives from Uganda, Austria, and Ethiopia, graced our occasion. An inaugural band from Kwetu Home of Peace and scouts from Huipalas Koch Open Troupe kicked off the celebration at landmark plaza. The procession route was from Landmark plaza in Kariobangi North all the way to St Johns primary school in Korogocho. A small number of schools and groups joined us for the procession that is St. Johns and Dreams, a girl group initiative, and then later on Daniel Comboni Primary school joined in on the procession. Along the way, we attracted a sizable crowd while distributing literature about the negative effects of drugs that we received from NACADA.

Upon arrival, a few schools—Kariobangi North Girls Secondary, Ngunyumu Primary School, and St. Francis of Assisi Secondary School—were already present and waiting for the event to commence. The band performed until the scouts were properly positioned on stage, at which moment in time we sang the national anthem and the scouts conducted some moves for all of us. Mr. Benjamin from SCAD spoke about mental health and the impact of alcohol and drug usage on people’s life after Mr. George Ochieng, the director of Slum Children, delivered an overview of the nonprofit. Stephen Edgar was our main MC, he did the introductions to all the schools with their respective teachers, then he later introduced then he went on to introduce the visitors from the various nations under World Federation Against Drugs.

We later had entertainment from our very own self-taught disk jockey and sound man Harrison Kuria. Then along the way NACADA people arrived and they were given some stage time to talk and interact with the kids and teenagers in the event. The schools and the groups then presented their prepared entertainment pieces, and we concluded the event with a word of prayer from a member of St Francis of Assisi. The youngsters then proceeded to have their meals.