About Us
Tunza Afya Africa (TAA)
Is a non-governmental, not for profit organisation that is focused on raising
mental health awareness among the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized
in the society.
TAA works not only to help ease the burden of mental
health but also to dispel myths and false beliefs by providing correct
information on mental illness and providing linkages to available mental health
care to those in need.
Our Mission
To raise mental health awareness, among the youth, by targeting
schools and institutions of higher learning in order to dispel myths and reduce
stigma associated with mental ill-health.
ABOUT US
Our Vision
That we may have an Africa where
every individual is aware of mental illness and sufficiently equipped to not
only prevent it, but also to provide the necessary support to everyone in
need.
AWARENESS LEVEL IS WORRYING
In Kenya, for Example,
A Mental Health Taskforce
found out that many Kenyans were not able to differentiate mental
health, mental wellbeing, and mental illness. It was thought that
mental health was synonymous to mental illness.
Founder, Dr. Njeri Njogu: Let's Do This
The saying prevention is better than cure has been around for ages, so has a
stitch in time saves nine. Working in the health sector, most of the emphasis is
laid on curative processes. Using a pill to fix an issue was initially a Westernized
way of doing things, but now that the world is a village, we are leaning more
towards this as opposed to avoiding such scenarios by focusing more on
preventive measures.
Having worked in primary healthcare, many cases that presented would fall
under psychosomatic (a physical illness or other condition caused or aggravated
by a mental factor such as stress) conditions. With proper coping mechanisms in
place, medical services would be sought by patients who need medical services.
This would in turn reduce the pressure on the medical service providers, hence
better service delivery to the patients.
Tunza Afya Africa’s mandate is to create awareness on what mental health is and
how to safeguard it. Sound health starts with an individual, then spreads out to
the family and finally to the society at large.
It is time to make that stitch, before the rip becomes too big.