IT'S OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY AMBASSADORS
From 2022 to 2025, data from the Malawi Police Service showed that the country lost over 2,000 people to suicide related to depression. Not 5, not 10, not 50, but more than 2,000 individuals, most of them young people. Within the scouting family in Malawi, we lost about 5 individuals. A lack of safe spaces, limited knowledge and support for those going through stress, and the absence of someone willing to listen have all contributed to these losses
As scouts, we mobilized resources and trained 60 scout leaders from different parts of the country as mental health ambassadors. These leaders were equipped with knowledge on understanding what mental health and wellbeing are about, how to identify individuals who are in deep stress, how to offer psychological first aid, how to deal with suicide issues, how to create a safe environment within their scouting groups and community, and how to offer a listening ear.
I learned that small actions add up. Creating a safe environment, checking in regularly, and knowing how to respond in the first moments of a crisis can make a real difference before professional help is needed. Training leaders was just the start. Without follow-up, support, and space to share challenges, momentum fades. Keeping the network of ambassadors connected has been key to making sure the knowledge stays alive and continues to reach young people across the country
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