Making the global, local - on International Women’s Day
by Maxwell Chacha, Director/Founder, Valid Dream Mentorship, Eldoret, Kenya
Location: Uasin Gishu County Headquarters, Eldoret, Kenya
Event Theme: "Rights | Equality | Empowerment FOR ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS"
On March 7, 2026, ahead of International Women's Day, Valid Dream Mentorship joined over 100 women's health organizations across 39 countries in advancing the Global Mental Health Action Network's advocacy priorities. Our event in Uasin Gishu County brought together County Government officials, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to address the intersection of women's rights, mental health, and systemic advocacy.
Aligned with Naomi Dick Kaba's principle that "Advocacy must be systemic, collective, and rooted in lived experience," this gathering demonstrated how policy reform, regional solidarity, and community storytelling can transform mental health into a social movement at the grassroots level.
Participation:
Primary Organizers: Uasin Gishu County Civil Society Network, ELPA (Elevate Livelihoods Peace & Advocacy), County Government of Uasin Gishu
Key Partners: Amnesty International Kenya, University of Eldoret, Edmund Rice Foundation, multiple local CSOs/CBOs
Attendees: County officials, civil society representatives, NGO partners, CBO leaders, community members, students, and women's groups
Format: Street procession followed by indoor plenary sessions and workshops
ADVOCACY PRIORITIES ADDRESSED
Drawing from the global survey of women's health organizations, our Uasin Gishu convening directly addressed all five priority areas:
1. Integration of Mental Health into Primary and Community Care
Local Action:
Valid Dream Mentorship presented our ongoing Mental Health Awareness & Support Workshop (scheduled March 9-10, 2026, at Wareng High School), specifically designed to equip educators with skills to support student mental health in educational settings.
Facilitators include Mental Health Specialist Vyonah Luvandwa, Educational Psychologist Amanda Nekoye, and Trauma-Informed Practice Trainer Maximilliano Ajwang.
The workshop emphasizes creating referral pathways and collaboration with parents/guardians critical for integrating mental health support into schools as community hubs.
Key Discussion: Participants emphasized that maternal mental health remains invisible in primary care settings. County health representatives committed to exploring integration of mental health screening into maternal and child health services.
2. Mental Health as Cross-Cutting Issue: Poverty, Violence, and Inequality
Local Context:
Uasin Gishu County, like many regions in Kenya, faces intersecting challenges: economic vulnerability among women, gender-based violence, and limited access to mental health services.
The event highlighted that solutions require coordination beyond the Ministry of Health including Education, Social Protection, and Gender departments.
Collective Advocacy:
CSOs presented case studies demonstrating how economic empowerment programs reduce depression and anxiety among women.
County government representatives acknowledged the need for multi-sectoral approaches and committed to establishing a County Mental Health Task Force with CSO representation.
3. Prevention, Promotion, and Stigma Reduction
Activities Implemented:
Public Awareness Campaign: The street procession through Eldoret town served as a visible stigma-reduction intervention, normalizing conversations about women's mental health and rights.
Storytelling Sessions: Women shared lived experiences of mental health challenges, recovery, and resilience—rooting advocacy in authentic community voices.
Youth Engagement: Students participated actively, ensuring intergenerational dialogue on mental health promotion.
Materials Distributed:
Training manuals and worksheets on mental health fundamentals
Information on local mental health resources and hotlines
Certificates of participation for community champions
4. Dedicated, Sustained, and Traceable Funding
Advocacy Outcome:
Valid Dream Mentorship and partner CSOs formally petitioned the County Government to:
Ring-fence budget allocations for women's mental health programs
Establish transparent tracking mechanisms for mental health expenditure at sub-county levels
Prioritize funding for community-based, peer-led interventions proven to be cost-effective
The County Executive Member for Health committed to presenting these recommendations to the County Budget Committee for the 2026/2027 financial year.
5. Formalizing Peer-Led and Gender-Responsive Services
Commitments Made:
Recognition of CBOs like Valid Dream Mentorship as essential service delivery partners
Exploration of formal referral partnerships between county health facilities and community-based peer support networks
Integration of trauma-informed approaches (as detailed in our workshop curriculum) into existing gender-based violence response services
REGIONAL SOLIDARITY AND GLOBAL CONNECTION
This event was not isolated it was part of a coordinated global advocacy moment. By aligning our local priorities with the Global Mental Health Action Network's international survey findings, we demonstrated:
Shared Challenges: Kenyan women's mental health organizations face the same systemic barriers as counterparts in 38 other countries
Contextual Solutions: While global priorities align, local implementation requires adaptation to Kenya's devolved county governance system
Accountability Mechanisms: We will report progress on County commitments to the Global Mental Health Action Network to maintain international visibility and pressure
KEY RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS IDENTIFIED
Based on community input and organizational assessments, Valid Dream Mentorship identifies the following priorities for action in 2026:
Risk Factors Requiring Urgent Attention:
Gender-based violence and its psychological sequelae
Economic stress and poverty-related anxiety among women
Limited mental health literacy and high stigma
Inadequate mental health services in rural sub-counties
Protective Factors to Strengthen:
Community and peer support networks
Economic empowerment and livelihood programs
School-based mental health promotion
Faith-based and cultural community resilience resources
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH ACTION NETWORK
Support County-Level Advocacy: Provide technical assistance for mental health budget advocacy in devolved governance contexts like Kenya
Amplify Southern Voices: Create platforms for CBOs like Valid Dream Mentorship to share grassroots learning with global networks
Document Cross-Sectoral Models: Our Education-Health partnership model (school-based mental health workshops) offers replicable approaches
Sustain Momentum: Link International Women's Day advocacy to year-round accountability mechanisms
CONCLUSION
The March 7, 2026 convening in Uasin Gishu County demonstrated that when local organizations, county governments, and global networks align, mental health advocacy becomes a powerful social movement. Valid Dream Mentorship remains committed to ensuring that women's voices especially those with lived experience of mental health challenges continue to shape policy and practice.
As we advance to our specialized Mental Health Awareness & Support work, we carry forward the commitments made and the solidarity built. The intersection of policy reform, regional solidarity, and community storytelling is not theoretical it is happening in Eldoret, and it must continue.
Happy International Women's Day 2026.
