Kenya’s Nivishe Foundation to Spearhead Student Mental Health Week 2024 in Africa

Kenya’s Nivishe Foundation today announced that it has partnered with Chegg and esteemed non-profits and organizations from around the world for Global Student Mental Health Week 2024, taking place from February 26 to March 3. The Nivishe Foundation will drive forward action in Kenya and throughout Africa. In its second year, Student Mental Health Week will have a special focus on tackling student loneliness. The World Health Organization has deemed social isolation a global health priority, and warned of the impact of loneliness on wellbeing. The Chegg.org Global Student Survey 2023 uncovered startling findings about student mental health: 41% of those polled in Kenya say they have experienced academic burnout, 37% say they have experienced daily feelings of anxiety, and 35% say they do not sleep enough.[1]

Student Mental Health Week is a global initiative that seeks to destigmatize mental health among students, encourage young people to be intentional about looking after themselves, and inspire conversations around what policymakers, education institutions, the wider community, parents, and learners themselves can do to support student mental wellness.

The Nivishe Foundation, based in Kibra, Nairobi, is a youth- and women-led organization launched in 2019 by Chegg.org Global Student Prize top 10 finalist Amisa Rashid. It focuses on breaking the stigma against mental illnesses at the grassroots level. During Student Mental Health Week, the Nivishe Foundation plans to involve 400 students in discussions, workshops, and awareness raising sessions on mental health. It will also encourage open conversations and share resources with the wider community.

The Nivishe Foundation joins non-profits and organizations from around the world that Chegg has partnered with for this year’s Student Mental Health Week, including Active Minds, the Ayrton Senna Institute, Born This Way Foundation, Calm, Inspiring Children Foundation, The Jed Foundation (JED), the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, ONYX Mental Health Family, Orygen, “Seize the Awkward” from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and JED with the Ad Council, Student Minds, the Varkey Foundation, and Young Invincibles.

“I’d like to thank the Nivishe Foundation and all the organizations that have partnered with us on this campaign as we continue our commitment to holistically supporting students,” said Heather Hatlo Porter, Head of Chegg.org and Chief Communications Officer of Chegg, Inc. “Although today’s students live in the most connected era in history, many experience a deep sense of disconnection, feeling lonely and struggling to make friends. By continuing to promote a dialogue between diverse voices from across the world, we hope to show that mental health is an issue that affects us all, and it must be at the top of the global policy agenda.”

Amisa Rashid, Founder and Executive Director of the Nivishe Foundation and a top 10 finalist for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2021, said, “Empowering students’ mental health is crucial for their journey. Nivishe Foundation pioneers change through culturally sensitive mental health clubs, fostering well-being and resilience. Together, let’s thrive.”

Activities kicking off globally during the week of February 26-March 3, 2024:

• Chegg will bring together mental health resources from these collaborative partners, including simple tips to improve mental wellness, under a centralized online resource, and signpost the support available to its millions of students worldwide, via the Student Mental Health Week website.
• Student Mental Health Week will encompass a variety of in-person and digital events, involving students, to inform debate and help educate policymakers, educational institutions, and communities on the mental health challenges students face. This includes on-campus roundtable discussions with student leaders at Howard University.
• Chegg will work with students around the world to find opportunities to have their voices heard by elite decisionmakers and influencers. This will include meetings on Capitol Hill with lawmakers and officials from the US Department for Education, in partnership with Young Invincibles.
• Finalists of the Chegg.org $100,000 Global Student Prize and the $1 million Global Teacher Prize will be asked to share how they look after their mental wellness, which resources they turn to for support, facts about student mental health in their country, and projects they are involved with on the ground.
• Chegg’s Center for Digital Learning will launch a white paper based on global research on the mental health of students around the world.
• Calm, a Chegg partner and the world’s number one app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, will curate a new, exclusive collection of guided meditations for anxiety and stress for students.

The Chegg.org Global Student Survey recently found that more than a quarter (27%) of Kenyan students have trouble meeting new people and making friends.[2]

Nhial Deng, the winner of the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2023 who at the age of 11 was forced to flee his war-torn village and walk hundreds of kilometres alone until he reached Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, where he grew up for the next 12 years, said, “This initiative resonates profoundly with me and my journey. As students across the globe navigate the complexities of their lives, the importance of mental health cannot be overstated. It’s a powerful reminder that while academic achievements are important, the wellbeing of students is equally crucial for their overall success and happiness. I am committed to using my platform to advocate for mental health resources and support systems for educational institutions in cities, villages, and refugee camps, ensuring every student has the opportunity to pursue their dreams in a supportive and nurturing environment.”