By: Haddy Touray
A volunteer organization has conducted school mental health and psychoeducation awareness program in Nusrat Senior Secondary School in Bundung and in Kartong.
The International Volunteers for Mental Health Organization (IVMHO)-Gambia recently held a program at St. Martin’s Lower and Upper Basic School in Kartong as part of efforts to promote emotional well-being among young people.
The program brought together students, teachers and mental health advocates to raise awareness on the importance of mental health, address stigma and discrimination, identify early warning signs of mental health challenges and encourage timely access to support services.
A similar awareness session was held on 4 July 2026 at Nusrat Senior Secondary School, while a planned community sensitization program in Busura Village, Kombo North District, was postponed due to heavy rainfall.
The keynote presentation at the Kartong event was delivered by Samba Baldeh, National Coordinator of the School and Community Mental Health Awareness Programs at IVMHO-Gambia.
Baldeh emphasizes that mental health is an essential component of overall health and encouraged students to prioritize their emotional and psychological well-being while showing compassion and respect towards others.
Other presentations were delivered by Fawura E. Ndongo, an IVMHO volunteer, who discussed factors contributing to mental health disorders and the importance of early intervention.
Teacher Baboucarr Bojang of St. Martin’s Upper and Senior Secondary School also urged students to maintain discipline, develop healthy relationships and seek guidance whenever they encounter emotional or psychological difficulties.
Participants were reminded that mental health was a fundamental human right and that stigma, bullying and discrimination often prevent people from seeking necessary support.
Students were encouraged to serve as mental health ambassadors by promoting kindness, inclusion, empathy and mutual support within their schools and communities.
The awareness program is part of IVMHO-Gambia’s School and Community Mental Health Awareness Program which seeks to improve mental health literacy, encourage early intervention, reduce stigma and contribute to building healthier and more resilient communities across The Gambia in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3 on Good Health and Well-being.
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