Millie Rono, you are a psychologist with MIDRIFT, can you explain how you work with mental health services in Kenya?
»Our focus is Community based mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in the semi-urban informal settlements of Nakuru East, Nakuru West and Naivasha in Nakuru Country. These intervention areas are affected by poverty, violence and insecurity with an increase in mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, these communities do not have access to MHPSS services at the local level with the facilities being understaffed with no mental health resources available«.
How do you address these challenges?
»To close this gap, we train so-called Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in basic psychological support, including Psychological First Aid (PFA), which provides immediate emotional and practical support to people in distress. We also train in Problem Management Plus (PM+), a structured intervention that equips non-specialists with strategies to help individuals manage stress and mental health challenges. This approach helps ensure that people in the community can quickly access mental health support while also strengthening referral networks.
We also work with local chiefs and elders to raise awareness, challenge cultural misconceptions, and encourage people to seek help for mental health issues through community dialogue meetings. Additionally, we advocate for the adoption of national mental health laws and policies and support the County Department of Health in developing the Nakuru Mental Health Action Plan to enhance mental health services and support for its residents«.
What are the main challenges in 2025 in relation to your work with mental health and psychosocial support?
»One of the biggest challenges now is the workload of Community Health Promoters (CHPs), who provide low-intensity mental health support while managing other community tasks. This often leads to compassion fatigue, affecting the quality of care. To address this, we offer regular supervision, self-care activities, and refresher training to support CHPs and prevent burnout. Another challenge is the safety of working in volatile areas, where gang activity and clashes between security forces and local youth can make interventions dangerous. We prioritize the safety of our staff and only engage with communities when it is secure to do so«.
What motivates you when you wake up in the morning?
»Witnessing empowered communities actively pursue their own solutions to address local challenges, strengthening their resilience, self-reliance, and overall capacity to thrive as human beings. That motives me«.
How DIGNITY and MIDRIFT HURINET help
In Nakuru, DIGNITY collaborates with the organization MIDRIFT HURINET to prevent violence in the local communities, train local health workers in psychological first aid and PM+, and build trust between citizens and authorities to promote local leadership.
DIGNITY has been working with MIDRIFT HURINET in Kenya since 2014. The work is supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
