My heart has always been drawn to Zimbabwe and as I was reading some of the revealing information regarding Zimbabwe’s “sustainable livelihood” this evening, tears of compassion filled my eyes. My heart is truly broken for the emerging generation of displaced youth. What are they emerging toward? Well, not only physical displacement, but emotional, spiritual and intellectual poverty as well. I have added a small slice of the heart-wrenching article below. We must do something! We must start creating a united mindset of “sustainable living” in our own city first. When hearts come back to life and compassion is the new poison, it is then we are able to feel the pain.
"[Some of] the biggest challenges in Africa," he says, "are really the relationship and connection between poverty and mental health. The factors that drive poor mental health in Africa are the same as those that drive poverty – wars, internal displacement, HIV/ AIDS and the fact that 60 percent of Africans live below the poverty line. There’s also the fact that so many people who are afflicted by infectious disease, and are so many wars and displaced across Africa. These are the main drivers to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol and substance abuse."
Children are a special concern for Njenga. At least 10 percent of all African children are AIDS orphans or child soldiers.
He says, "Anyone who tries to project what may happen to the neglected African child who is a victim or survivor of post traumatic stress disorder, as a result of seeing parents, teachers or siblings mutilated in war…would be guessing."
"One begins to project and understand that in the course of time children who witness genocide in Rwanda are likely to become adults with unresolved grief, PTS disorder, substance abuse issues, depression.… In fact, just thinking about the likely consequences of the traumatic events the African child is going through, we anticipate in 30 years time, we are going to have large African population of deeply traumatized and unstable populations."
It’s not easy to get treatment. Njenga says there’s about one psychiatrist for every half million people in Africa. In Zimbabwe, he says there are only two psychiatrists for every 20 million. Some countries have none at all.
CB- If you are a social worker, doctor, nurse or neighbor- it may be time to explore a trip to Zimbabwe.
