As mentioned, Liberians have endured a devastating 14-year civil war and the deadly Ebola pandemic, and many are left living with the effects of trauma.
- Liberia ranks 8th in the world’s top 10 poorest countries
- In a country of 5.3 million people, there is only one mental health hospital
According to the World Health Organization, there are
- Fewer than 0.1 mental health units in the general hospitals
- No suicide prevention programs
- Zero community-based mental health clinics
- There are no data on how Liberians cope with anxiety and depression, according to Our World in Data
Your support is crucial in creating a safe space where individuals can openly discuss their mental health challenges without fear of stigma. Your contribution will directly empower those with limited access to mental health awareness resources.
Our mission is to normalize conversations about mental health and to provide access to needed mental health resources, thereby helping to remove the stigma attached to mental health disorders.
We aim to do this through continuous workshops, establishing peer-support groups, distributing leaflets and flyers in simplified English and local languages, and through radio broadcasts and mental health educational materials for the local schools.
So far, we have distributed 8000 plus leaflets and flyers on different mental health issues concerning war trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.
We conducted three-day workshops in May of this year in three different locations in Liberia, speaking to 115 individuals. These workshops covered topics such as understanding mental health, identifying signs and symptoms and coping strategies.
We have our ongoing megaphone campaign, in which information on mental health is played in local markets and communities by individuals who may not have access to the internet or radio.
The situation is urgent. Please support our work by donating; however small it may be, it will be highly appreciated. Liberians live on a minimum wage of 5 USD per day, and therefore, seeking mental health information online or through the private sector is impossible. Many are suffering and dying every day from illnesses that could be easily treated or managed.
www.rebecca-blamo.com