Mental health, especially in the youth, is becoming a huge issue in Rwanda which, experts say, needs to be carefully handled.
For instance, the recent mental health survey by Rwanda Biomedical centre showed the highest prevalence rates of mental disorders are at 20.5 per cent and 52.2 per cent in the general population and sub-section of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi respectively.
The most prevalent disorders were major preview episodes at 12.0 per cent, panic disorder at 8.1 per cent, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 3.6 per cent in the general population.
Among Genocide survivors, the major depressive episode was at 35 per cent, with PTSD and panic disorders at 27.9 per cent and 26.8 per cent respectively.
It is in this regard that in 2021, Olivier Uwishema, a medical student in Turkey, decided to conduct a project known as ‘Promoting Awareness of Mental Health in Rwandan Schools and Universities’.
Olivier Uwishema is a medical student in Turkey.
The project, which also received grant awards from Dana Foundation and International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), aims at increasing the knowledge and awareness of mental health issues faced by youth in Rwanda to mitigate the stigma of seeking help.
Motivation
Growing up in Rwanda, Uwishema says he didn’t have easy access to good health clinics or well-researched medical information.
"Ever since, I have wanted to pursue medical studies to deliver healthcare and build stronger health systems in my country and beyond,” he says.
Being a Rwandan medical student in Turkey, years later, pushed him to help solve the most pressing problems in his community, including the ongoing awareness on mental health.
Rulinda advocates for ample research in addressing trauma. Photos/Courtesy
Through leadership skills, he says this helped him manage to identify community issues including mental health, and thus research possible solutions.
Uwishema is also the founder of Health Magazine Organization (OHMO) which works towards changing the lives of young people by engaging them in professional health education and scientific research worldwide.
Impact
So far, the project has seen Rwandan youth being organised to carry out different competitions through videos, poems, songs, and story-telling to disseminate information about mental health issues.
Also, from November 2021 to January 28, 2022, the project has received over 100 entries from high school and university students, the top 10 winners were also awarded cash prizes and certificates.
Through the project, they managed to hold interactive mental health educational workshops in schools and universities in Rulindo, Northern Province, aimed at equipping students with the knowledge and tools about mental health, as well as help, promote help-seeking behaviours.
The students were also given educational materials and tools to foster positive well-being in schools.
In addition to this, the project has also offered mental health training to school staff to enhance their understanding of youth mental health issues.
In 2021, Uwishema received different grants for support from international institutions and NGOs in support of his projects, among other achievements. The young medical student has also been nominated as a potential runner for the 2022 Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list.
Meanwhile, Uwishema’s plea is that concerned bodies such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders, provide a helping hand in supporting and promoting awareness of mental health in Rwanda.