In Rwanda, high rates of psychiatric illness are one of the continuing legacies of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Trauma not only remains in the generation which lived through it, but is transferred to following generations too. Aegis addresses this by conducting workshops to improve literacy in mental health; providing psychotherapy support; encouraging people it trains in peacebuilding to address mental health issues and seek treatment when needed; and introducing initiatives that contribute to mental wellbeing in communities.
On June 6th, Aegis conducted a Mental Health Workshop for 24 youth champions who were trained on Peace and Values Education in February in the Community Peace Centre at the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The youth champions acquired a better understanding of how mental illness can affect a person’s life, and gained knowledge on how to better manage their own mental health, as well as how to support others. Together they developed ideas to address problems which persist in this arena.
“By promoting mental health care awareness, and offering these platforms for youth engagement, we empower the next generation to become agents of positive change,” says Aegis psychologist Oscar Twizerimana.
“Failure to address this issue would put the young generation at risk of being unable to be useful to their families or communities, as well as the nation,” says Rulinda Kwizera, who took part in the training.
“Humanity and kindness are a natural and efficient style of taking care of one’s mental health as well as others,” adds fellow participant Sheilla Ishimwe. “Our words and actions should reveal humanity and kindness so as to ensure stable and secure mental health for ourselves and people around us.”
Youth champion Faustin Twizerimana spoke to the value of psychotherapy support received from the Aegis Trust: “I showed signs of mental health instability, due to family problems, I started hating myself and thought of suicide,” he says. “If I had not received help from Aegis, I would have probably killed myself.”
Substance use disorders including drug abuse, alcoholism and other addictions are among the problems Rwanda’s youth are facing. As peace builders, the youth champions came up with an initiative in response called ‘Youth Safe Minds’.
Youth Safe Minds will provide a platform for young people to discuss their personal experiences with mental health issues and drug abuse, as well as the challenges they face in accessing support and treatment. It will also explore strategies for caring for one’s mental health and preventing drug abuse among young people, such as increasing awareness of the risks associated with drug use and promoting healthy coping mechanisms.
A Suicide Prevention Campaign has also been developed by Aegis youth champions in Rwanda. Introduced in September 2022 at an event titled ‘Talk to a Friend’ at the Kigali Community Peace Centre, this campaign is raising awareness about rates of suicide and how people can take action to prevent suicide by addressing untreated long-term depression.
Forming part of Peace and Values Education, content on mental health training can be found on the Ubumuntu Digital Platform, a platform supported by the Embassy of Belgium in Rwanda.
