Anne-Sharlene Murapa’s Story

Kurapa Moyo, South Africa

My story begins with my own lived experience. There was a time when I did not know what was wrong or where to find support. And even when I eventually accessed help, I struggled to connect with the methods being offered. Something felt misaligned, but I did not yet have the language to explain why.

That dissonance sent me on a personal quest to understand mental health in ways that felt contextual, embodied, and culturally relevant. That is when I began to realise that mental health is deeply intersectional. Our gender, culture, geography, economic reality, and history all shape how distress is experienced and how healing is accessed.

I founded Kurapa Moyo from that place of inquiry. My work focuses particularly on women because I lead from the lens of an African woman, and I believe our experiences deserve intentional centring. My focus on the continent does not mean I limit my learning to it. I engage globally, but I interpret and apply what I learn through local realities.

Please share your reflections on what you've learned and you would like to share with our global community.

One of the most important lessons I have learned is to make your approach to mental health personal. Seek support from experts, yes, but advocate for yourself first. Be honest about what is working and what is not.

When we silence ourselves in clinical or advocacy spaces, we lose critical information about our own needs. Honesty not only helps you understand yourself better, it also strengthens the field. Experts improve when people feel safe enough to say, “This doesn’t resonate,” or “This approach needs adaptation.”

Mental health care should not require self-abandonment, instead, it should create space for self-knowledge.

What has been your favourite moment as a member of GMHAN?

The Forum, without a doubt. There is something powerful about gathering in shared physical space and realising how interconnected our challenges and hopes are.

But beyond that, I have really valued connecting with people on the membership platform. The informal conversations, the messages, the exchanges that move beyond structured sessions. Those moments have allowed me to build genuine friendships. It has felt less like a professional network and more like a community of people committed to doing this work with integrity.

Stories can change lives. Share your story with our network and inspire action