A KPU-led project has helped increase mental health resiliency and wellbeing for more than 200 youth in Uganda. With over 70% of Ugandan youth experiencing poor mental health — largely related to war, violence and displacement in the region — the project has filled a much-needed gap since its launch in 2022. “The war has really left the region impoverished, and there are high unemployment rates among youth as a result,” says KPU instructor Dr. Kyle Matsuba, who led the project. “There’s also a lot of stigma and lack of awareness around mental health, so youth don’t have as much access to resources or support." Read more: https://lnkd.in/ecPhamHq

The theme of #WorldMentalHealthDay 2025 is “Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies” — a call to protect and expand access when it’s needed most. In Kenya, there are very few child psychiatrists for over 20M young people. Ashoka Fellow Tom Osborn is reimagining care through the Shamiri Institute, training youth peers to deliver affordable, school-based mental health support. Already, 100,000+ young people have been reached. This is proof that when communities lead, we can bridge the care gap and ensure every young person has the chance to thrive, even in crisis. Learn more about the work of Ashoka Fellow Tom Osborn: https://lnkd.in/dja8MPXR #AshokaAfrica #AshokaFellows #YouthMentalHealth #EveryoneAChangemaker

During crises, caring for people's mental health is vital. Top 5 actions policy makers can take: 1️⃣ Make mental health and psychosocial support part of every emergency response. 2️⃣ Ensure people have access to evidence-based mental health care, such as talking therapies, medication, and other forms of psychosocial interventions. 3️⃣ Include children, older people, people with disabilities, and refugees. 4️⃣ From community self-help to specialized mental health support, adapt the support to what people need most. 5️⃣ Protect and support humanitarian workers. #WorldMentalHealthDay

Mental health is as essential as food, water, and shelter — yet too often, it is overlooked in times of crisis. 💚 Across the world, CBM Global and partners are showing that access to Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is not only possible during emergencies — it is vital. In Asia and Africa, our teams, partners, and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities are working to ensure that people affected by crises can heal, rebuild, and recover with dignity. This World Mental Health Day, we stand with communities, advocates, and organisations around the globe calling for inclusive, rights-based mental health services in every humanitarian response. "Mental health matters. Access matters. People matter.” — Rose Umutesi (Rwanda), Chair of the Pan African Network for Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dVfZErgV #WorldMentalHealthDay #MHPSS #MentalHealth #Inclusion Ben Adams Mita Rani Roy Chowdhury Ednar Musyoka Erla Magnusdottir

This #WorldMentalHealthDay, #UnityInCare brings together Greece, Albania, Kosovo, and Romania in a shared mission: to strengthen mental health support systems that reach every vulnerable child and youth. We're united in our belief that every child deserves compassionate care, evidence-based support, and a brighter future. Through Unity in Care, we're aiming to: - Equip professionals with evidence-based tools to address the mental health needs of vulnerable children, youth, and their caregivers - Empower children and youth with skills for peer support and ensure their voices are heard on issues affecting their well-being - Build resilience and improve psychosocial well-being through proven, structured methodologies - Create platforms for participation where young people can contribute to decisions at local, national, and international levels - Share knowledge and best practices on preventative mental health measures among professionals - Advocate for systemic change by supporting youth-led efforts for accessible MHPSS services for all Together we're building the support systems that make it accessible, compassionate, and inclusive for all. To learn more about Unity in Care, visit here: https://lnkd.in/dd8YRBqW #WorldMentalHealthDay #UnityInCare #TerreDesHommes #PsychosocialSupport #MHPSS

On #WorldMentalHealthDay2025, we’re proud to launch the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI), a new effort to expand access to care, build capacity, and promote culturally responsive mental health solutions in South Africa. Enabled by Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) through the Global Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute, and in partnership with the SAMRC, local universities, experts, and communities, the CAMHI website provides a range of resources and reliable information about child and adolescent mental health for young people, caregivers, parents, educators, and health professionals. Explore the webpage at https://camhi.co.za/

Uganda faces a deepening mental health crisis with more than 90 percent of needs unmet, only about 60 psychiatrists for 46 million people, and a rising suicide rate that disproportionately affects young men, refugees, and marginalised communities. Read full article by Albert Elwa via ✍️https://lnkd.in/dSvvQdT8 📷: NBS

World Mental Health Day 2025’s theme highlights mental health challenges in humanitarian emergencies - situations characterised by widespread trauma, displacement, and loss within affected communities. Frontline teams in the UK provide support to individuals who have fled conflict, experienced persecution, and suffered significant losses. Asylum seekers, refugees, and other displaced populations frequently present with complex trauma while navigating adversarial systems and considerable uncertainty regarding their future. Mental health services, already operating under significant demand, encounter further challenges in delivering trauma-informed care to individuals who may lack stable housing, social support networks, or legal residency. Suicidality in these contexts is compounded by isolation, ongoing threat, and systemic barriers to support. For professionals working with these populations, you're often supporting people through acute distress without the specialist resources you need. What remains is that direct, compassionate engagement matters. The therapeutic relationship can offer stability when everything else feels uncertain. Today we're taking a moment to acknowledge those doing this work, and to remember that everyone deserves access to compassionate, evidence-based mental health care. #WorldMentalHealthDay #SuicidePrevention

Peer-to-peer support among adolescents is key to creating protective networks, strengthening emotional wellbeing and bridging the gap to formal mental health services. Across the Eastern Caribbean, UNICEF’s My Support Companion is equipping young people, like 13-year-old Nairobi from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with the skills to support one another and build resilience. As World Mental Health Day approaches, UNICEF reaffirms its commitment to working with partners, families, caregivers and educators to ensure mental health is prioritised for every child. 👉 For more information on how to access these and other mental health resources, visit: https://lnkd.in/eu2-Nz_J #WorldMentalHealthDay #OnMyMind #MentalHealth #ForEveryChild

In Liberia, an estimated 400,000 people suffer from mental health conditions or addiction, with around 130,000 experiencing severe forms. A shortage of trained professionals makes accessing care even harder. This is why PIH Liberia is committed to integrating mental health services into primary care. To address Liberia's mental health burden, our team provided care to 5,705 beneficiaries in Maryland County alone between 2021 and 2023, many of whom are youth. We are committed to closing the gap in mental health services. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/eH44AAes #Health #SocialJustice #HealthEquity #InjusticeHasACure #MentalHealth