Mollyn Nakabea 
[Photo: FILE]
Men’s mental health must be nurtured from childhood, according to Empower Pacific clinical supervisor Ana Radrekusa.
She emphasised that the way boys are raised has lasting effects on their well-being, as the habits and values learned in childhood heavily influence their mental health and behaviour later in life.
”This is something that needs to start at a very early age. So think about at the moment, we are trying to work on something that an individual has been raised by all this time”
Radrekusa stresses that this topic should not be treated as taboo in family settings.
“Family is very, very important, and we need to reach families. So when we are doing awareness, we are reaching out to families, what support they can give, what they can talk about to help their children, help their men in the house to know who they are and what they can become.”
DCOSS Lami member Taufa Qoro St John says children are often more aware of their surroundings and emotions than people think.
“I was surprised to hear from the children, when they see their safe space and unsafe space, and they know very well what’s going on in here, who stands there, what they do there, that’s from a children’s perspective.”
St John adds that these people, especially men, will change men’s perspective towards mental health.
