The Mental Health Advocate
Name : Nthati Phakoe
Institution : Tunasafiri
For many of us mental health remains a taboo subject often discussed in whispers if at all. Having being diagnosed with Bipolar Mood Disorder, Frontal Lobe epilepsy and acute depression Nthati Phakoe vowed to shine a light on mental health and eradicate the stigma that comes with having a mental illness. From speaking out and educating others on Facebook, she formed Tunasafiri in 2021. Tunasafiri which is a swahilli word for “We journey” is an NGO that creates awareness on mental health by bridging the gap between healthcare for mental health and healthy lifestyles to assist in good mental health.
Having survived suicide attempts and self harming habits like cutting Nthati believes that mental illness thrives in a culture of silence and her aim is to change this by having people talk about mental health without feeling shame.