My Mind My Funk:
Championing Mental Health Awareness in Kenya
By Pauline Kariuki
S
itawa Wafula was a victim of sexual assault at the age of
want me to be in their space. Some did not want me to be
18. Unfortunately she did not get any form of counselling
around my cousins. But by the grace of God we have been able
or support to help her cope with the trauma.
to reconcile and put all that behind us,” she says with a smile.
As a result, she experienced significant depression, became
Wafula is not the only one who faced discrimination due
suicidal and developed a mental health condition that she
to mental health issue. According to the Kenya National
suffers to date.
Commission on Human rights report “Silenced minds: The
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