Background:

Mental health disorders are a growing problem in Kenya. In contrast, mental health services are largely inaccessible for youths due to lack of targeted funding, limited professional mental health service providers and stigma. Despite mental health disorders being a problem in the country, limited mental health services exist due to a shortage of professional mental health service providers.

Besides, youths rarely utilise facility-based mental health services in the country.

Sentum Implemented a project “We matter too” utilizing barbershops as a site for creating mental health awareness and providing access to youth-friendly mental health services to youth in 4 counties of Kenya (Bungoma, Kakamega, Trans-nzoia and Busia). Mental health awareness was created through the use of mental health themed African hip hop/rap music which was be played in the barber shops. We recruited 5local rap artists to co-develop mental health themed songs with youth in 4 local languages commonly spoken in Western Kenya and one in Swahili. The focus of these songs was on mental health awareness, internalized stigma and experienced discrimination. The songs were used by the barber to create the right atmosphere to pique the youths’ interest and then initiate a discussion with the youth customers on mental health and the project.