Multi-sectorial responses to improve psychosocial well-being and create more resilient communities
In south-central Somalia, Somaliland and Puntland, decades of civil conflict and socio-political instability have affected the mental wellbeing of communities and depleted the pillars of socio-cultural community support when it comes to coping with stressful situations.
As a result, instances of mental breakdown and psychological devastation among Somali communities continue to reach unprecedented levels, with the prevalence of mental illness across Somalia currently estimated to be among the highest in the world.
Traditionally, mental health has been a stigmatised condition, with the mentally ill discriminated against and socially isolated. This demonstrates a practised culture of maximum containment and hostility, with the mentally ill being chained.
Despite this worrying situation, mental health and psychosocial support continues to remain a neglected area throughout Somalia. Mental health issues are less of a priority for local authorities and investment by the humanitarian community remains incredibly low.
This in turn, leaves existing local organisations poorly able to effectively deliver any meaningful solutions. This creates a situation where the burdens of people with mental disabilities are left to their immediate family and to traditional or faith-based mental health healers.
In this context, GRT has implemented several projects aimed at helping mentally ill people and their families, as well as providing them with better mental health centres and institutions.
Our integrated psychosocial approach aims at providing a holistic ‘umbrella of support’ to the individual, family and community.
More extensively in all of our interventions, wheter primarly focusing on health, education, or protection, we provide integrated and tangible psychosocial support.
This is understood as a process of facilitating resilience within individuals, families and communities.
Psychosocial support can help people to deal with the impact of a crisis and can enable them to deal with similar events in the future.
By respecting the independence, dignity and coping mechanisms of individuals and communities, psychosocial support promotes the re-building of social support and networks.
Projects and news in Somalia
- All
- Children in Adversity
- English News
- Forced migration
- Gender Based Violence
- Mental Health
Thanks to funding from UNHCR, GRT was able to set up an integrated project in Somaliland of both prevention and psychosocial intervention activities.
Provide medical care and psychological support to displaced persons, asylum seekers and victims of gender-based violence, particularly children, in Puntland, Garowe.
GRT is carrying out a series of interventions in Somaliland and Mogadisho to support and improve the country’s paediatric and mental health systems.
Thank you! Nearly 1,000 people participated at the live broadcast or watched the recording of the meeting on Mental Health in Africa, that took place on 30 November.
GRT is implementing a series of interventions in Somaliland and Mogadisho to support and improve the socio-health systems in the field of pediatrics and mental health in the country.
The project aims at addressing the psychosocial needs of the population that has been suffering from various traumatic experience, lack of resources and deprivation.
In the independent region of Puntland, north-east of Somalia, people living in Bosaso, Bashan and Garowe continuously suffer from drought, uncertainty, deprivation.
To ensure psycho-social support to women and children victims of violence, to improve prevention and intervention services,to support awareness compaigns on GBV issues and Child Protection.
To identify and support vulnerable populations, including children, to prevent gender-based violence.
To ensure that marginalized girls have the opportunity to obtain an education through school. The aim is to enable girls to support themselves and get out of the extreme poverty in which they live.
The emergency situation in the Horn of Africa has blocked access to livelihoods for thousands of people, leading to an unprecedented mass exodus in Somalia.
In the camps for displaced people, womend and children live in serious deprivationa and danger. They are often extremely vulnerable to violence and mistreatment.
To promote change for members of the security forces, regional governments, survivors of human rights violations, and the civilian population.