There has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals (WHO, 2022). Childhood and adolescence are windows of opportunity to improve wellbeing and resilience and prevent the onset and consequences of mental health in later life. To achieve this, children and adolescents need services tailored to their specific mental health needs.

This demonstration of interventions tailored to children and adolescents that are in schools, communities. Despite progress in developing various initiatives and programs to address these pressing mental health and child development concerns, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Rwanda, there still exists huge challenges and the RPCA, University of Rwanda and FXB Rwanda have been implementing a Sugira Muryango Program which is a play-based intervention delivered through active coaching in the family’s own home to respond to mental health and child development issues in Rwanda. Engagement in Mental Health Awareness campaigns have also been a key pillar in translating evidence-based research findings to
community actions and this has been done through different platforms.

In this line of creating a platform for conversations of mental health and Child Development, the University of Rwanda/Centre for Mental Health, in partnership with RPCA/Boston College are hosting a virtual conversation in celebration of the World Mental Health Day with the global theme: "Make mental health for all a global priority" and conversations will focus on "Strengthening Child Mental Health Support: Perspectives from practitioners, researchers, and policymakers" to re-iterate the need for early mental health support services for children and adolescents in rural and urban communities.

Speakers:

Prof. Vincent Sezibera, Director at Centre for Mental Health

Prof. Theresa S. Betancourt, Director at RPCA Boston College

Fred Mufulukye, DG at NRS

Maksim Fazlitdinov, C4D Specialist at UNICEF