Safe Spaces With Liah

Creating awareness about suicide continues, and we had a conversation at @ubctvuganda with @nantabafj. The message remains; suicide is preventable, every life matters and together we can spread hope, save lives. Please reach out, help is available. #SilenceKills #AwarenessHeals #SuicidePrevention #ChangingTheNarrative #JoinTheConversation #EachOneReachOne @ManCaveUg @faithagumya @Aspaafrica @ugpfmh youtube.com/watch?v=Kmmt8uV-…. .

🙌@ngonians , I am so elated and feel deeply honored. I became a Ngonian for a day fam 🥳. And I can't stay calm🤝. This Mental Health work and Boys Mentorship is going well and am forever grateful for the opportunities to serve. I almost get emotional when I go to schools to talk to students. Reason is: I see myself right there and remember how some of us didn't have this opportunity and I always remind these champs to maximize the these opportunities. So, yep. We were at the location +256 NGO College☺️🤩! The boys couldn’t let me rest—and for all the right reasons! We talked mentorship, mental health[Drugs and addiction], masculinity, career, God, friendship[brothers keeper] brotherhood, accountability and went hard and personal with this wisdom-facts, sustainability plans and support systems from within and out, personal responsibility, putting of the mask, letting the Ego fly, self-care and mehn..we never wanted to stop but we had to. Real man to man conversations. Real questions. Real growth. Stay determined boys as is in your theme this year- Heb 12:1 Keep pondering these things at heart-they will help you, and most importantly, stay in God, make the right choices in life and the best use of your time right now. Note: The idea of the obs coming over to encourage and share inspirational is dope. Ni ukweli kabisa. Ahhh I felt sad hawajifunzi Kiswahili..but that aside🙂 Again on a humble note, being a Ngonian by Association I never missed to quote my two inspirational Ngonian friends; 1. Isaac Mukasa [2009-2010]- Young and formidable African Creative [Graphic Designer & AI Artist] who is a Brand Designer with @nextmediaug and 2. Trinity Mungufeni [2011-2016] An environmentalist and a missionary doctor thru a Bachelor of Environmental Health sciences from Makerere University School of Public Health 2017 - 2020 and currently studying Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from King Ceasor University, Fourth Year. Geromen...I could go on. I know I have many others amongst you i may not remember. Just know I celebrate you all. Here's tojust to say thank you. The boys are as well grateful and the school counselor thru the administration is doing a great job with such holistic and timely interventions. The journey continues. "Nisi Dominus" (Without God we toil in vain). Psalm 127 📌Est: 1902 Onwards➡️ Upwards⬆️! 💪🏾 @PyeparFaisal @Herbert_MugK @ManCaveUg @MugaluNathan @MinofHealthUG @Dianaondoga @Educ_SportsUg @kyamageroandrew #BoysMentorship #SchoolMentalHealth #YouthMentalHealth #MoldMentorMultiply

Fam, My #JulyMentalHealthFocus took me through schools, engaging learners and teachers. One thing became clear: young people are silently battling; Anxiety. Stress. Depression. Substance use. Unresolved traumas. Identity struggles. Peer pressure. Suicide. Academic pressure. Feelings of Rejection. Parenting challenges(mostly absenteeism, neglect, abandonment, lack of connection or relationship, comparison, carelessness, blaming, judgement without understanding + more). Actually some children say their parents need more help than the children they bring in for counseling😃🙌 . And it's true ✅ And the signs among these children are often visible: •Social withdrawal •Aggression •Crying •Nervousness •Poor self-care •Persistent headaches •Suicidal thoughts •Forgetfulness •Poor concentration •Anger outbursts and fighting •Self-harm •Eating challenges. Yet stigma remains a major barrier to seeking help. We need headteachers, teachers, administrators, learners, parents and mental health professionals and every stakeholder working together to build trust and normalize these conversations. For example: observe that Mental Health hour and begin there We also need to rethink these one-off talks and presentations. If we believe "there is nothing for us without us", then students must own their mental wellbeing. It should be BY them and FOR them. Our role is to facilitate, equip, support and help build sustainable support systems they can own. Teachers too need basic counselling skills—not to become counsellors, but to know; - What can I do immediately to comfort this child? - How can i be a good listener? - What should I avoid saying? - When should I refer? - Where can I get help? A mentally healthy learner learns better. A supported teacher teaches better. Mental wellness must become part of our school culture, not an occasional activity. @ManCaveUg @Educ_SportsUg @MinofHealthUG @SafeSpaces256 @counsellingug @kyamageroandrew @Dianaondoga @Herbert_MugK @PyeparFaisal @GittaEmmanuel #YouthMentalHealth #SchoolsMentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters