Sia Edward’s Story

East African Community Mental Health Network, Tanzania

I began my mental health advocacy journey with Tanzania Community Health Information and Support (TaCHIS), working with higher learning institutions through arts and sports to promote awareness and early support among youth in Tanzania Mainland. In 2024, I joined the Global Mental Health Action Network as Co-Chair of the Suicide Prevention Technical Working Group, contributing to global dialogue and action. I currently serve as Regional Coordinator for the East Africa Community Mental Health Network, and I am a member of the African Suicide Prevention Association and WHO Family Intervention for Psychosis Network, advancing integrated, compassionate, and community-driven mental health advocacy.   

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

Throughout my journey in mental health advocacy, I have learned that real change begins when we listen deeply to lived experiences and center community voices in our work. Working with young people through arts and sports in Tanzania taught me that mental health conversations must be accessible, creative, and culturally grounded. When we meet people where they are, stigma begins to break.

At regional and global levels, I have learned that integration is everything. Mental health cannot sit in isolation from primary health care, education, social protection, or human rights. Suicide prevention especially requires compassionate systems not punitive ones where people feel safe to seek support without fear or shame.

I have also learned that power in advocacy is not about being the loudest voice, but about building bridges, strengthening collaboration, and ensuring marginalized communities are represented in decision-making spaces. Youth are not just beneficiaries; they are leaders and innovators. Lived experience is not a supporting voice - it is central to sustainable solutions.

To our global community, I would say: be bold, but remain humble. Listen before acting. Challenge stigma, but also challenge systems that exclude mental health from financing and policy priorities. And most importantly, remember that culture matters. Mental health must be grounded in the realities of communities while connected to global solidarity.

Change is possible when we move from awareness to action, from silos to integration, and from conversation to systems transformation.

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

One of my favorite moments as a member of the Global Mental Health Action Network has been serving as Co-Chair of the Suicide Prevention Technical Working Group and witnessing the power of global collaboration in action. Bringing together advocates, professionals, and people with lived experience from different regions and realizing that despite our diverse contexts, we share common challenges and a shared commitment to compassionate change has been deeply inspiring.

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