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Somali Therapist Sees Mental Health as Key to Rebuilding the Country

Salem Solomon

   WASHINGTON - After nearly three decades of war, many Somalis carry
   invisible scars from exposure to violence.

   According to the World Health Organization, [1]1 in 3 Somalis is
   affected by some sort of mental illness, a figure that is higher than
   other low income, war-affected countries. Despite the need, the country
   only has five mental health centers and a handful of trained
   psychiatrists practicing.

   One Somali mental health practitioner is trying to change this. Rowda
   Abdullahi Olad is a psychotherapist and founder of Maandeeq Mental
   Health Without Borders. After practicing in the United States, she
   returned to her home country with the intention of offering clinical
   services. She quickly realized the need was far greater.

   "So many have experienced decades of war, drought, displacement and now
   are still experiencing terror attacks daily," she told VOA during an
   interview in Washington. "So how that affects people is not that we can
   address only with a clinical approach. So what I came up with when I
   went back to Somalia is that mental health should be an integral
   component of state-building and political stability."

References

   1. http://www.emro.who.int/som/programmes/mental-health.html

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