October is Mental Health Awareness Month in Southern Africa. Mental health is a growing concern and is becoming an increasingly important topic of conversation around the world and yes, even here in Eswatini. Like many places, not everyone wants to talk about it or sees its value, but we certainly do.
Mental health is described as a state of well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. We ALL live in a world of stress – at home, at work, in our families, churches, towns, and countries. In Eswatini (as in many other places), there is a LOT of stress due to poverty and uncertainty about where the next meal will come from. That often leads to violent abuse, sexual abuse, and lifelong trauma.
ALL of the children who have been placed with us have come either having already been abused or from homes where abuse was prevalent. As I am writing this blog, I just received a call about a teenager who is in labor, and they are asking us for assistance when the baby arrives. This young girl had been living with a guardian, but when her parents asked for her to come home for Christmas last year, her father raped her, resulting in the pregnancy.
On Thursday, we also received a 2-month-old baby girl who had been beaten by her own mentally ill mother. The police were attempting to handle the situation by calling other family members to step in, but when they arrived, it was clear the child had to be removed immediately to save her life.
All of our staff have experienced trauma, and many have faced sexual abuse themselves, as it is so prevalent here. We have been blessed with a wonderful part-time counselor (shout-out to Trish Phiri!), but because she has a full-time job at our clinic, she doesn’t have the time to provide all the support that is needed.
I am thrilled to announce that last week we hired our very first full-time Counselor, Mr. Mbongeni Hlophe. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and has spent the past four years providing hands-on, child-centered counseling and trauma-informed care. He has worked with two outstanding organizations supporting children through emotional, academic, and social challenges.
Our goal is to begin with capacity-building workshops for our staff, as well as offering one-on-one counseling sessions for both children and staff who are struggling.
Thank you to everyone who supports us on a monthly basis. You make it possible for us to meet the needs of our growing family. If you are not yet a monthly donor, please consider joining us today!
Janine Maxwell