The eight members of the Advocacy Incubator (developed by Team Watetezi, a Global MINDS Fellowship Program team) have been hard at work creating and implementing advocacy initiatives in Machakos!
Since the beginning, Incubator members have participated, in partnership with international NGOs (https://vsointernational.org) in hosting community events to raise awareness about mental illness. One member has started a football group for youth, where they talk about mental illness and substance use. The group garnered the attention of a local cell phone company that sponsored the team by providing them with jerseys! Incubator members have also written and performed choral verses (spoken word) pieces to further raise awareness and educate the public about mental illness, and performed their piece at a training event for VisAbility Kenya volunteers (a Global MINDS project, https://visabilitykenya.squarespace.com). Members have plans to continue to advocate for people living with mental illness and their families who are visiting the psychiatric clinic at the Machakos Level 5 Hospital.
