Mental Health

At Afrikala Art, we believe sport is more than a game, it’s a powerful bridge to healing, connection and transformation. Our Mental Health Sports Initiatives use basketball and other community sports not just for competition, but as platforms for emotional resilience, mental health advocacy and collective care. Through our bi-annual Mental Health Sports Tournaments, young people engage in high-energy matches while accessing free mental health support, peer-led conversations, on-site medical check-ups and blood donation drives. These stigma-free events make mental wellbeing visible, accessible and empowering, transforming the court into a safe space for expression and belonging.

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Recognising the pivotal role of coaches in shaping young minds, we also run Beyond the Whistle, a dedicated programme for sports coaches and youth leaders. This initiative equips coaches with emotional literacy, trauma-awareness and mentorship skills to support the wellbeing of their teams beyond the physical game. Together, these programmes foster a growing movement where sports becomes a vessel for healing, leadership and stronger communities from the sidelines to the scoreboard.

We provide safe spaces for young women and girls in diverse communities to access dignity kits, menstrual health education, psychological support and open conversations on selfcare, trauma and self-worth. This initiative restores dignity, reduces shame and nurtures healing for girls and young women, especially those affected by GBV, early marriage and systemic neglect.

This annual advocacy walk combines mental health awareness with environmental conservation. Children, youth and community members walk together while engaging in conversations about mental well-being, then plant trees to symbolise healing, growth and environmental care. Each tree is a living statement of our shared responsibility to nurture both our inner worlds and our planet.

During the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we use art and creativity murals, spoken word, theatre, photography and storytelling to explore the deep links between gender-based violence and mental health. This campaign gives voice to survivors, promotes collective healing and uses artistic activism to challenge stigma and spark change.

We have designed these creative community conversations around everyday identity and emotional support:

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• Brotherhood

• Sisterhood

• Teenhood

• Neighborhood

• Childhood
   

Each “hood” creates safe, age- and gender-appropriate spaces for reflection, mentorship, expression and problem-solving. Through art, games and facilitated dialogue, participants explore personal struggles and build trust, resilience and peer-led support.

In a world that is often overwhelming, filled with pressure, grief, disconnection and constant change, our mental wellbeing is under strain. Now more than ever, children and their caregivers need nurturing, not just instructions. They need spaces of healing, not just survival. And they need a collective approach to resilience, not just individual coping.