Raising courage and hope in adolescents through mental health service
UNICEF collaborated with the Rwanda Biomedical Center to enhance mental health services for adolescents, strengthening support such as counseling in school
Moise, 17, is a young refugee living in Gisagara District. He embarked on a courageous journey from The Democratic Republic of the Congo to find refuge in the Mugombwa camp, accompanied by his grandmother and older brother, in 2014. In the aftermath of resettling to Rwanda, navigating the complexities of school life as a young refugee in a foreign land presented its own unique set of obstacles.
At Groupe Scholaire (G.S.) Mugombwa High School in Rwanda's Southern Province, he often felt like an outsider among his peers, which led him to withdraw and self-isolate.
"Almost everyone in my family was killed back home in Congo. I would always think about them here at school, and I was very depressed. To distract myself, I resorted to making a lot of noise in class and isolating myself from others," he recalls, with tears welling up in his eyes.
Mental health issues are prevalent in schools and among adolescents nationwide, with a national survey revealing that approximately one in ten adolescents experiences a mental health issue (Rwanda Mental Health Survey, 2023). Challenges such as refugee status, family conflicts, teenage pregnancy, HIV, sexual exploitation, poverty, and abuse, among other factors, are the key contributors.
"Adolescents and young people are often reluctant to open up, but we remain persistent. Some may cry, while others withdraw, yet we continue to offer our support," says Ancille Yabaragiye, a teacher and counselor at G.S. Mugombwa.
Ancille, who interacts with her students daily, is dedicated to providing support wherever possible. Alongside other teachers, she received training as part of a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support program (MHPSS) funded by the Government of Japan through UNICEF, in partnership with the Rwanda Biomedical Center. This program equipped them to address mental health issues among adolescents in their schools through screening, counseling, and referral.
Reflecting sadly, Ancille acknowledges, “Students in this school face numerous mental health issues, often leading them to skip classes as they perceive no value in studying. Common challenges include depression, anxiety, and trauma."
Ancille's training helped her understand the situation better when she noticed Moise isolating himself, unconscious of his mental health struggles.
"I would always see him alone, but I never realized he might be depressed and struggling with his mental health. All the teachers labeled him as a troubled kid because no one knew what he was going through. During our training, we learned how to spot signs of mental health issues in children, and that's how I identified him," Ancille shares.
"Our approach as counselors is to converse with and screen young people for signs of mental health issues, as we were trained to do. We have also trained our fellow teachers to recognize these signs, and when they do, to refer the children to us for counseling. We counsel children individually, and for cases beyond our expertise, we refer them to health centers for specialized support," Ancille explains.
Counseling Moise presented challenges, but Ancille's perseverance prevailed, ultimately helping him open up and begin his journey of healing through therapy.
Moise has already begun noticing positive changes in his life. “Counseling has significantly improved my mental health. I've come to realize that my past struggles have greatly impacted my behavior at school,” he shares.
“My teacher Ancille saw those signs and helped me open up and seek help. Now, I am better behaved, and I have even made friends. I don’t isolate myself anymore,” says Moise.
The programme also strengthened the linkages between the Peer Support Volunteers (PSVs), Community Health Workers, Social Service Providers, and Health Care Providers based at Yego Centers and Youth Corners to deliver quality, integrated, adolescent-friendly health services.
"We receive students from schools and adolescents from Peer Support Volunteers in groups, providing counseling, and following up with them consistently,” says Petronille Ayinkamiye, a psychologist at Kigeme Hospital.
“For cases beyond our expertise, we refer them to specialized institutions like Ndera Neuropsychiatric Teaching Hospital in Kigali. Considering the number of cases we receive from schools, counseling at health centers is an effective approach," she adds.
The programme targets vulnerable adolescents and aims to reach communities of five refugee hosting districts: Kirehe, Nyamagabe, Karongi, Gisagara, and Rubavu, targeting refugees and host populations.
Trained PSVs, youth volunteers who work closely with other social service providers, educate communities about mental health, directly support adolescents through small groups, and help them make informed decisions.
"As a PSV, I work to boost their self-confidence. In our groups, like ‘Mirror of the Future Kigina’, we discuss how to take care of our mental health, signs of mental health issues, and coping mechanisms,” explains Amos Musabyimana of Kirehe District.
“We use teaching aids such as books and digital content. Our conversations also include topics like Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, which contribute greatly to the adolescents’ mental health,” he adds.
Engaging adolescents through these groups has been effective in raising mental health awareness and providing a supportive environment. "We inform parents and the community to create a healthy environment encouraging adolescents to seek help," Amos adds about his broader engagement outside the groups.
With support from the Government of Japan, UNICEF is supporting the Government of Rwanda to build integrated and strong systems that provide vulnerable children and adolescents with tailored services to help them improve their mental health and embrace a brighter future. Through this program, 713 school counselors from 358 schools have been equipped with skills in screening, counseling, referrals for treatment, and appropriate follow-up of adolescents experiencing mental health challenges, benefiting 32,645 adolescents.
As Rwanda continues to prioritize mental health services for its youth, the cycle of suffering can be replaced by healing. With every counseling session, every supportive community group, and every trained caregiver, Rwanda moves one step closer to ensuring that no adolescent suffers in silence.
Read this article to learn more about the work that Peer Support Volunteers are doing to support adolescents and watch the video below to hear more stories of impact.
