Somali Therapist Sees Mental Health as a Step to Rebuilding the Country
2020-03-15
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1After nearly 30 years of war, many Somalis carry unseen wounds from the violence they have experienced.
2The World Health Organization reports that one third of all Somalis suffer from some kind of mental disorder.
3The rate is much higher than in other poor, war-affected countries.
4Sadly, Somalia has only five mental health centers and a few trained psychiatrists.
5One Somali mental health specialist is working to change the country's struggle with the effects of war and violence.
6Rowda Abdullahi Olad is a psychotherapist and founder of Maandeeq Mental Health Without Borders.
7After working in the United States, she returned to her home country to offer her expertise.
8She quickly recognized the need was far greater.
9"So many have experienced decades of war, drought, displacement and now are still experiencing terror attacks daily," she told VOA during a visit to Washington, D.C.
10She understood that many people needed more than treatment.
11"Mental health should be an (important part) of state-building and political stability," she explained.
12Olad works with Somali political leaders, civil society groups and aid organizations.
13She holds training events to educate the public about mental health issues and their treatments.
14"Most of my work relates to how I can tell the international community and... the Somali government to understand this is a nation that needs healing," she said.
15"This is a nation that has experienced more than what a human mental capacity can take."
16Olad also believes progress on issues like reconciliation and peace-building cannot take place without mental health services.
17Many of the people who are working to reunite the country need to be healed themselves, she said.
18"What I have seen is people who are in a conflict reconciliation setting or negotiation setting, you can see people are so traumatized," she said.
19Olad's organization is working to remove the public stigma about mental health issues in Somalia.
20Individuals suffering from mental problems are often ignored by society and their families.
21Harmful customs, like restraining patients cruelly, are still used in the country.
22"There is a stigma because [people believe] either you... are insane or you're not, there's nothing in between," she said.
23"And people don't see mental health as something that's curable."
24Olad also wants to use what she has learned from Somalia to help other conflict countries.
25She is hoping to attend the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation at George Mason University in the United States.
26Her goal is to develop guidance on how mental health can be used for peace-building in post-conflict societies.
27"This guide will be used by all the countries that have experienced war," she said.
28"So I'm hoping...[it can] have an influence on the policy level of the organizations and the government institutions."
29I'm Susan Shand.
1After nearly 30 years of war, many Somalis carry unseen wounds from the violence they have experienced. 2The World Health Organization reports that one third of all Somalis suffer from some kind of mental disorder. The rate is much higher than in other poor, war-affected countries. 3Sadly, Somalia has only five mental health centers and a few trained psychiatrists. 4One Somali mental health specialist is working to change the country's struggle with the effects of war and violence. Rowda Abdullahi Olad is a psychotherapist and founder of Maandeeq Mental Health Without Borders. 5After working in the United States, she returned to her home country to offer her expertise. She quickly recognized the need was far greater. 6"So many have experienced decades of war, drought, displacement and now are still experiencing terror attacks daily," she told VOA during a visit to Washington, D.C. 7She understood that many people needed more than treatment. 8"Mental health should be an (important part) of state-building and political stability," she explained. 9'A nation that needs healing' 10Olad works with Somali political leaders, civil society groups and aid organizations. She holds training events to educate the public about mental health issues and their treatments. 11"Most of my work relates to how I can tell the international community and... the Somali government to understand this is a nation that needs healing," she said. "This is a nation that has experienced more than what a human mental capacity can take." 12Olad also believes progress on issues like reconciliation and peace-building cannot take place without mental health services. Many of the people who are working to reunite the country need to be healed themselves, she said. 13"What I have seen is people who are in a conflict reconciliation setting or negotiation setting, you can see people are so traumatized," she said. 14Public unease over mental health issues 15Olad's organization is working to remove the public stigma about mental health issues in Somalia. Individuals suffering from mental problems are often ignored by society and their families. Harmful customs, like restraining patients cruelly, are still used in the country. 16"There is a stigma because [people believe] either you... are insane or you're not, there's nothing in between," she said. "And people don't see mental health as something that's curable." 17Olad also wants to use what she has learned from Somalia to help other conflict countries. She is hoping to attend the Mary Hoch Center for Reconciliation at George Mason University in the United States. Her goal is to develop guidance on how mental health can be used for peace-building in post-conflict societies. 18"This guide will be used by all the countries that have experienced war," she said. "So I'm hoping...[it can] have an influence on the policy level of the organizations and the government institutions." 19I'm Susan Shand. 20VOA's Salem Solomon reported this story. Susan Shand adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 21________________________________________________________________ 22psychiatrist - n. a doctor who treats mental or emotional disorders 23psychotherapist - n. treatment of mental or emotional illness by talking about problems rather than by using medicine or drugs 24decade - n. a ten year period 25capacity - n. the ability to do something 26reconciliation - n. the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement 27traumatize - v. to cause (someone) to become very upset in a way that often leads to serious emotional problems 28stigma - n. a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something 29insane - n. having or showing severe mental illness