"I love teaching children. They are my joy. You may go to work feeling down and a child will say "Hi teacher!" And you forget all about your problems. As an ECD teacher, we go through a lot; from the administration, from the parents and even from the neighbours. Getting underpaid is the biggest issue. ECD teachers are the most underpaid teachers in the country. When I started teaching, my first salary was Ksh 2000. And my boss by then would not even pay me that Ksh 2000. He would stay with it for 3 months. One time he told me: "You do the least work." I had 35 pupils in my class, all below 5 years. If you want to start a family, you may not get maternity leave. Right now, the school year ends in October. No pay in November and December and sometimes even in October." - Grace Gicheru.
Grace Gicheru is a 25 year old teacher with four years experience. She has a diploma in ECDE.
"There is a myth that the human brain stops developing at a certain age. In 2005, new information emerged that the brain develops continuously. There is a higher potential for the human brain than we thought. And even those who have mental challenges still have a great potential. Like in the movie "A Beautiful Mind", the character had mental challenges but he became a Nobel Laureate." -Dr. Hussein.
Dr. Hussein is a Medical Doctor that’s amazed by humanity’s potential. Specialized in Clinical Psychiatry, probing Mental Health and Wellness, seeking to puzzle out what makes us tick and how by far we uniquely respond.
Wangari Kabiru is a consultant and Champion for YEES! Program Africa, an education leadership program that delivers an enterprise education curriculum to school kids. She serves as a dispute neutral (CPM). Wangari is a fan of technology, game thinking, entrepreneurship and travel.
"Whenever we address mental health, we need to first address the society. Secondly, we need to address education. How are we taking care of our kids who are thinking outside (of the standard design of the) education system? We are channeled into one system of thinking where you have to get a white collar job. We are quick to judge people rather than first understand them." - Dr. Shevvy Mugweru.
Dr. Shevvy Mugweru is a medic with eight years experience, he has worked at KENWA, Aphia plus, Nairobi Hospital, D.O.D and now works in a private practice. He specializes in A and E Psychiatry and EMT.
"In whatever field you are in, you will interact with some legality. Two issues are very important to mental health: human rights and Intellectual Property rights especially since the latter has everything to do with creative arts which is an element that is sometime displayed by mental health victims. There are laws that protect you when you create something on your own volition and/or when you are employed. Our education system, especially at the higher level, needs to introduce teaching of basic law to all for the betterment and benefit of society in general." - Njoroge Mwaura.
Njoroge Mwaura is a laywer practicing in Nairobi with the firm BMN Advocates. Focusing on general legal consultancy, real estate, criminal litigation and intellectual property rights. When not lawyering his interests are in creative art, writing, performance and sports.
"Environ-Mental. Mental health and the environment are two sides of the same coin. I think children should be taught about the environment so that as they grow up, they are aware that whatever they do will either have a negative or positive effect on the environment and by extension, on their mental health and the mental health of others." -Emma Ochieng,
Emma Ochieng is the Founder of Towards a Better Earth Initiative. Twitter: @TBEi
"Where do children seek affirmation? What defines them as human? Are they defined by their gadgets? If they don't get (social media) "likes", do they get depressed? Do they have FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out? Have important values been addressed?" - Annmercy Wairimu.
Annmercy Wairimu is a tech enthusiast with a special interest in user experience design and cyber security of our devices.
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