By Winfrida Kamwana

Mchinji, January 13, Mana: Girls Activist Youth Organisation (GAYO) has engaged youths on psychosocial counselling as one way of fighting the rise of suicide cases in the country.

GAYO organised an interaction meeting with Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) champions in Mchinji on Saturday to enlighten them on the importance of psycho-social counselling and how they can help youths in their communities to overcome depression.

Program Manager for GAYO, Gilbert M’bwana stated that as SRHR champions are being recognised in their communities, it is important that they also learn and understand counselling for them to be able to counsel youths in distress.

“These SRHR champions are posing as helpers in the communities. There are a lot of youths in those communities who are fighting mental battles and are at the verge of emotional breakdown. Therefore, it is the duty of youths to help one another in the fight against depression and suicidal thoughts,” said M’bwana.

M’bwana also explained that, apart from psych-social counselling, the youths are encouraged to work with different stakeholders in the society such as chiefs and health practitioners to make their work more effective and easy.

Senior Health Surveillance Assistant, Chimwemwe Somanje highlighted the importance of involving youths in psycho-social counselling saying it will make their work easier and will help youths overcome their fears.

“Some of the youths find it hard to express themselves to health practitioners especially on issues of sexual reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases thereby suffer in silence but since it will be their fellow youths offering counselling sessions, I believe they will be able to open up and will be assisted accordingly," explained Somanje.

He appreciated GAYO for the initiative and for linking them with the youth in different areas to work together in making their communities for a better environment.

Vice Secretary for Mikundi Youth Network, Chimwemwe Josiah, expressed gratitude towards GAYO for the training saying it will help the youth network to reach out to many youths on the importance of communicating and expressing oneself to mitigate suicidal thoughts.

Apart from psycho-social counselling training, the youths were also encouraged to use community dialogue as a way of addressing issues that arise in their communities.

GAYO is working with SRHR champions who are youths that work within their communities in addressing challenges they are facing including health issues.