VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Rotaract Club of Mahé, in partnership with the Mental Health Services within the Ministry of Health, has launched a national initiative aimed at raising awareness of mental health and promoting careers in the field. The two-day event opened yesterday at the International Conference Centre Seychelles (ICCS) under the theme ‘The Magic of Rotary in the Community’.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Health Peggy Vidot said it was time to break the silence and stigma around mental health, noting that people readily discuss physical ailments but rarely talk openly about how they are coping emotionally. ‘Without well-being of both sides, we cannot say that we are healthy,’ she said, urging more trained professionals to enter the field.
Other speakers included psychiatrist Dr Daniella Malulu and clinical psychologist Dr Rex Mpazanje, who shared personal perspectives on the value of empathy in mental-health work. The chairperson of the Rotaract Club of Mahé, Franca Sicobo, said the project would create opportunities for young people to engage with mental-health professionals and to consider careers in counselling, social work and research. The event ends today.
