Our Mission

To invest in young minds by promoting accessible, youth-led mental health solutions, ensuring every child and adolescent has the support to thrive mentally, emotionally, and socially.

Why Youth-Centred Mental Health Innovations Matter

Adolescence is a vital stage of development, yet many young people face serious mental health challenges. Globally, 1 in 7 adolescents suffers from a mental disorder, with the burden particularly high in Sub-Saharan Africa, where mental health services are limited and stigma remains widespread. These global issues are even more pronounced in Kenya and much of sub-Saharan Africa. Young people make up a significant portion of the population; Kenya’s median age is around 20, yet mental health services remain scarce. For example, WHO data show that most African countries have far fewer than one psychiatrist or psychologist per 100,000 people.

In Kenya, youths encounter numerous stressors: poverty, unemployment, academic pressures, and violence; mental health support is limited, with very few professionals per capita; and stigma discourages help-seeking behaviour, making early intervention essential.

Youth-led prevention and promotion strategies, including school programmes, peer support, mentorship networks, tele-counselling, and digital tools, have proven effective in increasing resilience. These approaches involve young people directly and help normalise seeking help. Equally important is fostering positive attitudes within the community. When families, teachers, and leaders openly support mental health, young people are more likely to seek assistance and support each other.

In summary, investing in youth mental health now will create stronger, more resilient adults in the future. Youth-focused innovations, supported by caring communities, are crucial to reversing the rising tide of adolescent mental health challenges in Kenya and beyond.