Mount Kenya University (MKU) has invested heavily in mental health and counselling programmes to boost the well-being of students, lectures and staff in the university.

The university has eight counsellors as well as trained volunteers and peer counsellors from the departments, making a total of about 400 at Thika Campus alone.  “Additionally, our campuses have over 100 trained peer counsellors. All of them work together with the chaplains, associate deans and the office of the Dean of Students,” Vice-Chancellor, Prof Deogratius Jaganyi.

Speaking during a youth forum dubbed Sikika Youth Fest held at MKU’s at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre in Thika town over the weekend, the VC said last year, the university hosted a mental health programme sponsored by Unesco Regional Office, which supported and trained students and the youth in Thika town.

The forum, held MKU’s Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre, brought together university students from various institutions under the theme sikika, tubonge, tusifiche. The initiative, which was attended by MKU students and youth from Thika, aspires to see significant reduction in the number of young people living with anxiety and depression in Kenya.

In a speech read on his behalf by Dr Peter Kirira, who is the Deputy Vice-chancellor, administration, planning and institutional advancement, Prof Jaganyi thanked MKU partners who had joined and sponsored the forum. The VC also profusely appreciated the Second Lady, Pastor. Dr. Dorcas Rigathi, who was chief guest at the function.

 Prof Jaganyi requested each participant to make follow ups and ensure they form a lasting relationship that will enable the organisers, sponsors and participants to continuously work together for the good of the country. “MKU takes mental health and counselling matters very seriously especially among the students,” he added.

The VC said MKU’s 2020-2029 Strategic Plan mandates the institution to embrace partnerships to achieve the three mandates of teaching, research and community engagement.  “This gathering of a galaxy of partners is a testimony to the fact that, MKU is also using partners to enhance the welfare of our students as well as the youth of this country,” he said.

MKU Pro-Chancellor, Dr Vincent Gaitho said any sickness or challenge leads to mental agony and psychological depression. “To a country like Kenya and our local communities which are losing so many lives and especially among the youth due to suicide and homicide as a result of mental-related challenges, the significance of this forum cannot be over emphasized,” he said.

At a national level, matters of health are reflected on the Kenya Vision 2030’s social pillar.  Likewise, good health and well-being are anchored on sustainable development goal number three of the United Nations, whose target is broad-based to include fighting of substances and drug abuse as well as harmful use of alcohol.

“MKU’s effort in supporting SDGs 2030 led United Nations Academic Impact Office in New York to award MKU with an opportunity to serve as the SDG10 hub on Reduced Inequalities for a period of three years ending 2024,” Dr Gaitho said.

He said the MKU College of Health Sciences is a further input by MKU on matters health. “May all the students and adults who participate in this event whether online or physically have the full benefits as intended and pass the same messages to others,” he added.

The pro-chancellor requested the partners in the programme to undertake mental health awareness every year for the good and well-being of local communities.

During the forum, the wife of the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Pastor Dorcas Gachagua,  urged Kenyans not to stigmatize those suffering from mental illnesses, particularly the youth in colleges and universities.  She also expressed concerns over the increased cases of mental health and depression within universities and institutions of higher learning. “What we are trying to do is doing sensitization, so that people do not stigmatize those suffering,” she said.

She called on universities and institutions of higher learning to create offices of deans and counselors specifically to tackle mental health challenges. “I look forward to where every university will have a dean and counselors to speak to our students, where students can get some help. We start to talk demystify mental illness so that those suffering can have the courage to talk to anyone around them,” she said.

During the forum, Pastor Dorcas shared her story on suicidal thoughts back in her Kenyatta University days. She had contemplated suicide when a gas cylinder she had bought for her mother exploded. It is a situation that led her to regrets on why she had bought the gas cylinder.

MKU Co-Founder Dr Jane Nyutu also expressed concerns over the youth are getting into mental disorders and depression, noting that many are getting into such due to peer pressure. “We have the culture of ‘sponsorship’ that has rendered our youth desperate in their future lives. Not forgetting the celebrity culture, many want to live like someone they have seen on social media,” she said.

Dr Nyutu said that social media and the internet are generally some of the major causes of mental imbalance and urged the youth to consume content on the platforms wisely. “Many of our young people have fallen into stress and depression when they feel they are different from others,” she added.

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