Mental Health Across Borders: Reflections from SHINE’s Annual Partners’ Meeting in Kenya, Bangladesh and the UK
Some meetings feel like a formality. This wasn’t one of them. The SHINE Annual Partners Meeting 2025 turned a virtual setting into a space for real connection and clarity. I’ll admit, when I saw it stretched across two weeks, I braced myself for screen fatigue. But the format was surprisingly light: two to three hours […]
Supporting Mental Health in Community Health Promotion: Lessons from the SHINE Study
Working in community health is not for the faint-hearted. As one community health worker put it, “You need a heart to continue.” This simple but powerful sentiment speaks volumes about the challenges faced by community health promoters – especially when it comes to their mental well-being. Through the SHINE study, taking place in Nairobi County’s […]
Wasiaya: A Community Health Promoter’s Journey from Chaos to Advocacy in Korogocho
In the densely populated urban slums of Korogocho, Nairobi, Community Health Promoters (CHPs) play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between healthcare systems and the local communities. One such remarkable individual is Wasiaya (aka Wasee), a CHP whose life story illustrates not only personal transformation but also the critical importance of mental health support, […]
Prioritising the Mental Well-being of Community Health Workers: SHINE Project
Community Health Workers (CHWs) are essential to the success of healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Kenya and Bangladesh. CHWs bridge the gap between formal healthcare facilities and underserved populations, ensuring that even the most marginalised communities receive basic health services. However, their role comes with immense challenges, from overwhelming workloads […]
Capturing voices: How to implement Photovoice in mental health research
Imagine giving someone a camera and asking them to tell their story through images. The narrative shifts from words alone to something more powerful—visual, tangible, and deeply personal. This is the essence of Photovoice, a participatory research method that merges photography with storytelling, empowering individuals to share their lived experiences. Developed by Wang and Burris […]
The hidden burden: The Reasons Community Health Officers feel more stress than Community Health Promoters
Community Health Officers (CHOs) supervise the CHAs inorder to ensure they fulfil their performance goals and provide high-quality healthcare services. It was clear from a recent meeting in Korogocho (which is an urban informal settlement) with both CHOs and CHPs that CHOs frequently endure higher stress levels than CHPs.The CHOs expressed that their stress stems […]
Through the Lens of Mercy: The Silent Struggles of a Community Health Promoter
Mercy* is a Community Health Promoter (CHP) in Viwandani, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. The name Viwandani, which means “Industries” in Kiswahili, reflects the settlement’s proximity to numerous factories. It is a place known for its bustling workforce, narrow pathways, and a maze of loosely hanging electrical wires—some dangerously exposed. Navigating these precarious conditions […]