MHF Program Helping Teachers, Students in Malawi Schools

A year after the world’s first Mental Health Facilitator (MHF) training course, benefits are already being documented in Malawi.

Kenneth Hamwaka, director of the Guidance Counselling and Youth Development Centre for Africa, reports that teachers who received MHF training there last year are putting their new skills to work in creative and unforeseen ways.

The best example, Hamwaka reports, is the creation of MHF clubs in schools. MHF-trained teachers hold regular sessions for colleagues and pupils to discuss a range of mental health issues covered in the training.

Topics for the clubs include stress, distress and disorder issues, relationships and family issues, crises and trauma, suicide, depression and alcohol use disorders.

“There has been a tremendous excitement over the programme,” Hamwaka said in his report to NBCC International. “It covers a wide range of beneficiaries, such as communities, schools, etc. It also includes other professionals.”

Teachers organizing the MHF clubs have also expressed their enthusiasm and appreciation for the training program.

Comments from teachers in Hamwaka’s report included:

Grace Mulima: After the MHF training, I am not the same person. I have personally made positive adjustments to my life, and I have assisted my learners in my school to form clubs. We held a career fair where MHF issues were highlighted. There is even a CD developed on it.

Godfrey Mbewe: My school has benefited a lot from the MHF club. The pupils are now able to counsel one another with the difficulties.

Hassen Juma: Great thanks to NBCC for introducing a good programme. There is need for more trainings in order to equip more teachers. I recommend that this should be introduced in the teacher training colleges in Malawi and Africa as a whole.

Hamwaka says another training-of-trainers session is being organized for later this year involving teachers, government workers and other professionals from several African nations. The training was organized following encouragement of the MHF program from education ministers in African nations represented on the governing board of the center in Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital.

NBCC International supports the center with regular financial contributions and book donations.