Mental Health Awareness Week: The Power of Community

In support of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, we highlighted Mentaccess, a transformative initiative led by Dr. Fatima Ali, an alumna of the AIG Public Leaders Programme. The project is making a significant impact by improving access to mental health services for children and teenagers in rural areas of Borno State in Northern Nigeria.

Mental health remains a critical yet often overlooked aspect of public health, especially in underserved and conflict-affected communities. During Mental Health Awareness Week, we highlighted Mentaccess, an innovative initiative led by Dr. Fatima Ali, an alumna of the AIG Public Leaders Programme, that is transforming mental healthcare in Borno State’s rural areas. 

Our feature article “When Communities Heal Together: The Quiet Revolution Transforming Mental Healthcare in Nigeria's Conflict Zones.”   developed to commemorate the week,explored community-based approaches to improving mental-health services in rural Nigeria, with a focus on how Dr Ali’s Mentaccess project is providing mental health support to children and teenagers affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State. The article also highlighted the impact of conflict on communities, particularly on young minds and provides community-based approaches to improve mental health services. Read the full article here.

In partnership with Dr Ali, we also developed a Community Mental-Health Toolkit, containing practical steps to address the mental health needs of young people. The toolkit equips teachers, healthcare workers, families, and community members with essential skills for identifying and responding to mental health challenges among young people. Download the toolkit here. 

The project demonstrates how innovation directly impacts primary healthcare outcomes. We will continue to support innovations that strengthen public service delivery in Africa.