“It’s easy to get caught in the fray of university life,” says Pauline Gethi, a third year student at the Strathmore Law School and the Mental Health Club President. “You have to remind yourself that you are a person first and a student second.”

Pauline, along with the Strathmore Student Council, have coordinated a variety of events all through the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month, to encourage dialogue about mental health, mental illness, the stigma surrounding mental illness, and people’s personal experiences. “It’s important to care for yourself and to realize that there are resource persons on campus that want to help you,” said Pauline.

The events held throughout the month are efforts to show every aspect of mental health. Students courageously shared their journeys with mental health through the ‘Emotional Detox’ session held by the Strathmore Toastmasters Club and the Tufunguke Mental Health forum on May 13th. On the theme of wellness and self-care, the students journaled with Dr. Vundi and took part in art therapy. They also had the opportunity to bridge the gap between mental health and physical wellbeing at the Men tubonge and the Ladies Tubonge sessions. Professional counselors were on-site at many of these events to offer support.

Even though Mental Health Awareness Month will conclude at the end of May, the Mental Health Club’s, and Student Council’s efforts to spread awareness and help people will not end. “I’d like it to not just be a month where we say, “We’re going to talk about it”, said Pauline. “I’d like this to be an overall message beyond this month and this semester. Once one person starts talking about mental health, it creates a domino effect.”

 

This article was written by Nicole Nanzai, a Bachelor of Arts in Communication student. 

 

 

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