Mental health matters — and at Supertouch Kindness Foundation (SKF), we are committed to ensuring that it’s not left behind in humanitarian responses. In 2024, SKF participated in a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) workshop hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Yola, Adamawa State, aimed at equipping reproductive health service providers with practical tools to integrate mental wellness into their work.
Mental Health is a Humanitarian Priority
As crises across Northeast Nigeria continue to take a toll on emotional well-being, the need for accessible, informed mental health support grows more urgent. The MHPSS workshop addressed this by:
- Training frontline health workers to identify, respond to, and refer mental health cases
- Promoting psychosocial first aid in humanitarian contexts
- Emphasizing trauma-informed care, particularly for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV)
SKF joined other humanitarian actors in this crucial capacity-building event, reflecting our growing leadership in the mental health space, especially within underserved and vulnerable populations.
Strengthening Reproductive Health Through MHPSS
The training emphasized the connection between mental health and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). By empowering service providers with MHPSS knowledge, participants are now better prepared to:
- Support survivors with empathetic, non-judgmental care
- Reduce stigma around seeking help
- Create safe, inclusive spaces for women, girls, and persons with disabilities
Moving From Training to Impact
With these newly acquired skills, SKF is further committed to embedding mental health support across all its interventions — from grassroots community dialogues to survivor-centered services in conflict-affected LGAs.
As we look to 2025, the impact of this training will ripple across our SRH programs, GBV response teams, and COMBAT volunteers, ensuring that mental wellness becomes a consistent part of healing, advocacy, and resilience.
