SUCCEED Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of Makeni (UNIMAK), commemorated World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2024, in Makeni. The theme of this year’s event, "It’s time to prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace," focused on promoting mental well-being across the country.

Ahead of the event, SUCCEED Sierra Leone hosted radio shows to raise awareness about mental health challenges. Representatives emphasized the need for collective efforts to support mental health, especially in workplace environments where mental stress can impact performance and well-being.

The main event featured an engagement session with stakeholders, students, and pupils at UNIMAK Auditorium. During the event, the Mayor of Makeni, Abubakar Kamara, highlighted the importance of mental health awareness and praised SUCCEED for its work. He urged the organization to extend its outreach to more communities, particularly areas where mental illness heavily affects the youth.

The Registrar of UNIMAK, Foday Augustine Bangura, also spoke about the challenges workers face that threaten their mental well-being, reinforcing the need to prioritize mental health in the workplace.

Keynote speaker Dr. Jusu Mattia from the Mental Health Psychiatric Hospital in Freetown stressed that productivity, both at work and home, is closely tied to mental well-being. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy mental state to achieve success in everyday life.

One participant, 18-year-old Adama Dumbuya, shared how her own mental health struggles had impacted her performance in school, expressing her determination to protect her mental well-being moving forward.

The event reinforced the importance of mental health awareness and the role that both individuals and institutions must play in supporting mental well-being, especially in the workplace.