Youth Initiatives: A Glimmer of Hope to Support and Enhance Mental Health in Yemen

Alia Mohammed – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

Young people in any society are a nation’s wealth, a driving force for progress and change across various sectors and developmental fields. However, in Yemen, this vital segment faces immense challenges due to the ongoing conflict that has lasted for years, leaving behind a suffocating humanitarian crisis affecting all aspects of life, including mental health.

The conflict has left deep scars on the psyche of Yemenis, especially young people who have experienced various forms of violence, killing, displacement, and loss of loved ones. This has led to an increase in cases of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder among them.

Despite the enormous challenges, Yemeni youth are showing strong determination in confronting the mental health crisis. They are creating youth initiatives aimed at providing psychological and moral support for themselves and the community in various fields. Several youth initiatives have emerged, striving to provide psychological and emotional support to those affected by the conflict, recognizing the extent of psychological suffering experienced by individuals from all segments of society.

This report highlights these youth initiatives and their importance in providing programs and projects for psychological and emotional support, and in promoting mental health for members of the community.

The Importance of Youth Initiatives in Reality

Sahar Al-Hashmi, a member of “Ihsan” initiative, emphasizes the role of youth initiatives as a vital part of promoting mental health in society, due to their significant positive impact on the mental well-being of both individuals and the community as a whole.

She points out that youth initiatives in Yemen have played a pivotal role in supporting mental health projects by raising community awareness, organizing awareness and educational campaigns to break the silence surrounding mental health issues, providing psychological support, offering listening sessions, and individual and group support to individuals suffering from psychological problems. Combating stigma, they work to combat the stigma associated with mental illness by emphasizing the importance of mental health and everyone’s right to access treatment.

Al-Hashmi explains that youth initiatives organize interactive workshops and seminars to discuss mental health issues and present positive solutions. They use social media to spread awareness messages and support, connect with individuals experiencing mental health challenges, listen to them, offer advice, and encourage them to seek help and psychological counseling if needed. These initiatives also pay special attention to marginalized groups, including people with disabilities, by integrating them into society and providing them with opportunities to participate in various activities while considering their specific needs.

Sahar emphasizes that mental health is an urgent priority for everyone and that youth initiatives and their participation in mental health projects create a healthier society and have a positive impact on the societal and health levels. This is achieved by mitigating the psychological effects of the conflict in Yemen and promoting the mental well-being of the affected population.

Community activist Tahani Mansoor, on the other hand, highlights the importance of the pivotal role played by youth initiatives in promoting mental health, considering them essential partners in supporting mental health projects and providing psychological support to those in need.

She adds that youth initiatives actively participate in various aspects of mental health projects through volunteering. Young volunteers from these initiatives collaborate with mental health centers, psychological support hotlines, and support groups to provide psychological support to individuals facing mental health challenges. They also organize activities and awareness campaigns about mental health, aiming to raise awareness and break the silence surrounding it.

“We have witnessed numerous youth initiatives whose activities prioritize providing support to individuals suffering from mental illnesses in society, offering them a helping hand psychologically, morally, and materially,” says Mansoor. “This includes providing medication, assisting with treatment costs, and establishing psychological support centers that offer psychological services and consultations, as well as therapeutic sessions for individuals and families, in cooperation with doctors and mental health professionals.”

Mansoor mentions that in recent times, youth initiative projects have focused on assisting conflict victims, particularly those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. These initiatives have provided safe spaces for individuals to express their feelings and share their experiences with others facing similar challenges, helping to alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation.

“Youth initiatives have effectively utilized social media platforms to disseminate awareness content about mental health, providing individuals with the opportunity to talk about their psychological issues,” she continues.

The mental health support programs and projects provided by youth initiatives have helped reduce the social stigma associated with mental illness. These initiatives have contributed to changing the negative perception of mental health, encouraging help-seeking, and providing training on psychological and social support skills to young volunteers, enabling them to provide psychological support to those in need in remote areas affected by the conflict.

Challenges and Proposed Solutions

Despite the significant role played by youth initiatives in promoting and implementing mental health programs in Yemen, they still face numerous challenges hindering their progress in this field.

Tahani explains that youth initiatives encounter several obstacles that hinder their ability to provide various services to community members. The most prominent among these is the lack of financial and human resources. These initiatives suffer from a severe shortage of funding and qualified personnel, especially in the field of mental health.

She adds that initiatives rely on sufficient material support from government agencies and international organizations, which limits the scope of their services to specific areas. Qualified mental health professionals are concentrated in major urban centers, while remote areas lack such expertise, depriving some individuals in need of accessing mental health support services.

Furthermore, there is a lack of coordination and institutional integration. There is no coordination or integration among the various stakeholders involved in mental health (governmental, civil society, international), hindering the exchange of experiences and information and limiting the ability of initiatives to enhance their impact and unify efforts.

Undoubtedly, youth initiatives in Yemen represent a glimmer of hope amidst the difficult circumstances facing society. They actively contribute to promoting mental health and providing psychological and emotional support to affected individuals. To ensure the continuation of these initiatives in playing their pivotal role, it is essential to intensify efforts to support them and provide them with the necessary resources and opportunities by empowering their projects and enabling their impact within the community. Providing opportunities for youth participation in community development through volunteering programs and various activities.

It is also essential to establish a platform for coordination and networking among different entities working in the field of mental health (governmental, civil society, and international) to exchange experiences and information and enhance the integration of services provided.

This platform should work on developing their organizational structures and administrative systems to build their capacities and enhance their sustainability. Additionally training local personnel in leadership, management, and strategic planning skills will contribute to making tangible progress in youth initiatives promoting mental health.

Everyone agrees that youth initiatives in Yemen are a positive force contributing to building a healthier and safer society, especially in light of the exceptional circumstances facing the country in various areas that impact individual mental health. There are calls emphasizing the need for all stakeholders to join forces in supporting these initiatives by providing them with the necessary resources and opportunities to achieve their goals of delivering essential services to citizens.