A Murang’a youth is beating odds to become a mental health awareness champion and reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues.
21-year-old Rhoda Mwongela, known by her peers as Bossbaby, is a visionary third year student at Murang’a University who has embarked on a courageous journey to spread mental health awareness.
Speaking to KNA, Mwongela said that she thinks of herself as a wounded healer, who through therapy was able to conquer mental health issues of her own and found inspiration to start advocating for mental health awareness.
She said that the spark that ignited her passion for mental health advocacy came from a few of her life experiences and has made her a beacon of hope to many, inspiring many individuals to prioritize their mental well-being.
‘In November 2021, I decided to turn my passion into action, armed with only my creativity and determination I founded Let’s talk with Bossbaby (LTWB) a brand that is aimed at making mental health a global priority,’ she said.
‘I want to be able to create awareness to a point where people perceive mental health as something that can be addressed and treated and not see it as a complicated thing,’ she added.
Mwongela noted that there is still a lot of stigma associated with mental health issues and called upon members of the society to treat mental illnesses the same as any other illnesses and therefore seek professional assistance.
‘I have a support system of psychiatrists, therapists, mental health nurses, trained mental health advocates and enthusiasts, professional counselors and peer counselors who I recommend to the people who ask for my help so that they can be helped,’ she said.
Mwongela said that her initiative conducts both physical and virtual campaigns and mental health talks to primary and secondary schools, universities, and colleges with the aim of reaching as many young people as possible.
‘I coordinate an online talk show where we discuss various aspects of mental health every Wednesday,’ she stated.
‘The rate of mental health cases is quite high especially for the youth because in my brand, we have documented more than 570 cases through the Let’s Talk with Boss Baby initiative,’ she added.
She noted that the youth are constantly dealing with issues such as relationships, financial crisis and identity crises that could lead to mental illnesses if left unchecked and noted that preventing and handling mental health issues needs to be destigmatized.
Mwongela also noted that young people were also at risk of drug-induced mental illnesses and urged youth to be careful before indulging in any such substances.
She says one of the main challenges she faces as a young person is that many people she meets look down at her due to her age and don’t think that she is equipped to handle mental health issues which remain a taboo subject especially among older people.
‘People have a lot of stigma about advocating for mental health which is a challenge because people don’t understand the dynamics of mental health or that most mental illnesses can be treated,’ she said.
Bossbaby is currently pursuing linguistics and communication at the university but she is also working towards getting a certificate in counseling psychology so that she could be better equipped to handle mental health issues.
Source: Kenya News Agency