MAKENI, Sierra Leone — SUCCEED Sierra Leone used its World Mental Health Day commemoration in Makeni to call for greater inclusion, reduced stigma and stronger community support for people living with mental health challenges.

Table Of Content

Calls to reduce stigma
Lived experience at the centre
Community responsibility

The event took place on Saturday, 10 October 2026, under the theme “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.” It brought together the Justice and Peace and Human Rights Commission, the Bombali District Health Management Team, Caritas Makeni, the International Organization for Migration and other partner institutions.

Health professionals, migrants and people with lived experience of mental health challenges also participated in the programme, which began with a public awareness march through Makeni before continuing at the University of Makeni Auditorium.

Calls to reduce stigma

Participants called for improved public understanding of mental health, an end to discrimination and sustained support for people seeking treatment and working towards recovery.

Fatmata Nata Kamara, the Bombali District Health Management Team’s Mental Health Focal Person, said mental health should be treated as a basic human right rather than a privilege. She stressed that people affected by mental health conditions should have their dignity respected and receive appropriate care and support.

Representatives of the International Organization for Migration identified stigma as a significant barrier to effective mental healthcare. They said discrimination in workplaces and communities can discourage people from seeking help and weaken recovery.

Dr. Emmanuel Kallon, an IOM Data Management Officer, highlighted the importance of continued counselling, public education and interventions at community level to address barriers and improve access to support.

Lived experience at the centre

Esther Moses Kamara, a Peer Researcher, shared her personal experience of living with mental health challenges and working towards recovery.

Migrants attending the commemoration also shared recovery stories and acknowledged assistance from IOM. Cecilia Coker of IOM highlighted the particular mental health needs of migrants, while migrants at the event drew attention to the value of sustained psychosocial support.

Dr. Rebecca Esliker, SUCCEED Sierra Leone’s Principal Investigator, said the event theme drew attention to the rights of Sierra Leoneans living with mental health challenges. She emphasised the importance of ensuring that their voices inform conversations about care, support and inclusion.

Fr. Aloysius Kamara, Director of the Justice and Peace and Human Rights Commission, encouraged people experiencing mental health challenges to seek assistance. He reminded participants that it is never too late to seek help or rebuild their lives.

Community responsibility

The commemoration concluded with a call for participants to become mental health ambassadors in their communities. Speakers also urged closer cooperation between health institutions, civil society organisations, development partners and communities.

SUCCEED Sierra Leone is part of a six-year research project running from 2020 to 2026. The project involves a consortium spanning five African countries and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with support from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The project is scheduled to conclude in 2026.