Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. At Tutapona we know that when we meet people where they are, and work to de-stigmatize mental illness in the community, they can find the help that they need. There can be healing. There can be hope. Below, Vice President of Programs Tim Manson recalls one afternoon where he witnessed such an impact on one woman’s life after she sought the help when she needed it most.

Remember, it is okay to not be okay. Please reach out to a mental health professional or suicide help hotline in your country if you are experiencing thoughts of suicide.

In the field of mental health support, it can be hard to measure change. I want to tell you about a day, one of the rare days, when the results were crystal clear. I was sitting under a mango tree near the border of South Sudan listening to one of Tutapona’s staff facilitate a session of our group mental health program.

Irene did it beautifully. She knew the content well, was articulate, funny and engaging. Periodically, a mango would fall and cause a stir. An energetic young man was translating between English and Acholi. The session stretched into its third hour, yet my teacher’s instincts told me no one was bored.

The group of people listening were Ugandans, a humble community who had lived through the horrors of the Joseph Kony war, displacement, loss of loved ones, abducted children. And fear, lots of fear. While that war ended more than a decade ago, it was evident that the emotional toll of what they had been through was still heavy.

At the end, an older woman stood to speak. She said, without much emotion, that a few days earlier she had been making plans to hang herself. Her problems were ‘too much’.

But she testified that participating in Tutapona’s program had given her a new perspective and her troubles no longer overwhelmed her. She also said that the message of forgiveness had a profound effect on her. After forgiving some people who had hurt her, she felt a sense of freedom that had evaded her for years.

A few years ago, someone close to me committed suicide. It was devastating for all involved. This event was actually one of the catalysts that led to my decision to leave New Zealand and join Tutapona’s mission of bringing mental health services to people affected by war. Needless to say, it was deeply moving for me to hear this woman talk about the change in her outlook and her new sense of hope for the future. Our Adjumani team was able to follow up and provide her with one-on-one support after the program finished.

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day, and at Tutapona we believe mental health is so very important and have witnessed the healing that takes place after someone seeks help. I hope this woman's story gives you hope that change is always possible.

Tim Manson

Tutapona Vice President of Programs