The Lions Quest, a branch of the Lions Club in Zomba, has advised students from various schools to be aware of the mental health issues that are greatly affecting young people.
The Chairperson of Lions Quest in Zomba, Lion Chipo Jamu made the statement at St Mary’s Girls Secondary School in Zomba during a meeting with secondary school students aimed at raising awareness about mental health challenges.
The representatives from St Mary’s Girls, Mulunguzi, Malosa, Malindi, and Masongola secondary schools attended the meeting to learn why many students are experiencing mental health problems.
Jamu said many young people today are committing suicide due to mental health issues, hence the need to reach out to secondary school students to educate them on the causes of these problems.
She said it’s crucial to discuss mental health with students as it helps them develop life skills to support others facing mental health challenges and manage their own anxieties.
“We want students to be aware of mental health and in Zomba, we have Lions Quest Clubs at Malindi and Mulunguzi Secondary Schools, and they consider this a vital initiative helping students,” she said.
Speaking at the event, psychotherapist Wisdom Chembe from Zomba Mental Hospital said such education is very important because young people face mental health challenges, contributing to the government’s Vision 2063 goal of eliminating suicide.
Representing her fellow students, Ravona Macheso, a Form 2 student at Malindi Secondary School, said the training has helped her greatly as she’s learned how to cope with anxiety and mental health issues.
