By Mapenzi Kitsao

The Mombasa Women Empowerment Network Organization, in collaboration with Mission Relief Africa, NACADA, and Helping Hands, celebrated a significant day by graduating individuals who had recovered from mental health issues.

The event - which coincided with World Mental Health Day - took place in Miritini on Tuesday.

Amina Abdalla, the founder of the Mombasa Women Empowerment Network, highlighted the organization's achievement in graduating 26 individuals from various technical departments.

“We are now graduating 26 recoveries who have gone through vocational training in hairdressing, metal fabrication, tailoring and barberry,” said Amina.

Mental health recoveries graduates posing with their certificates. Photo: Mapenzi Kitsao

Amina spoke about the organization's challenges and presented recommendations to the government to enhance their services.She pointed out a key challenge: recognizing these individuals as citizens when they required additional services.

“The victims also have other health problems requiring extra services like x-rays and scanning, which has been a problem because the victims do not have identifications,” said Amina.

“We would, therefore, recommend the government to give us access to hospital services like NHIF for them to get help,” she added.

Another challenge the organization faces, according to Amina, is tracing the families of the recoveries, many of whom were rescued from the streets, and some were not even from Kenya.

"Some countries' embassies are not cooperative to take their citizens back, and it obliges us to use illegal ways to take the recoveries to their respective countries. We have tried to communicate with the embassy of Tanzania, but everything has been in vain,” Amina claimed.

The founder urged the society to welcome and embrace the recoveries as new members and provide support whenever possible.

She added: "I want to tell other members of society to welcome these people as they go out to start a new life again. Do not neglect them or their services but instead support them where possible and make them feel at home.”

Dennis Mwendwa, one of the recoveries, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Amina for rescuing him from the streets and helping him gain skills that have prepared him for a better life.

"I thank Amina for taking me off the streets, and I am ready to work to improve my life,” he said.