The Lions Quest, an initiative under the Lions Club of Zomba, has emphasized the need for students to be more aware of mental health issues that are increasingly affecting young people across the country.
The Chairperson of Lions Quest in Zomba, Lion Chipo Jamu, made the remarks at St. Mary’s Girls Secondary School during a sensitization meeting aimed at raising awareness of mental health among secondary school students.
Students from St. Mary’s Girls, Mulunguzi, Malosa, Malindi, and Masongola secondary schools attended the event to learn about the causes and effects of mental health challenges among the youth.
Jamu noted that many young people today are taking their own lives due to unaddressed mental health problems, stressing the need to educate students on how to recognize and manage such issues.
“It is crucial to discuss mental health with students because it helps them develop life skills to support their peers who may be struggling and to manage their own anxieties,” Jamu said.
“In Zomba, we have established Lions Quest Clubs at Malindi and Mulunguzi Secondary Schools, and this initiative is already making a positive impact among students,” she added.
Also speaking at the event, psychotherapist Wisdom Chembe from Zomba Mental Hospital commended the program, saying mental health education among the youth supports the government’s Vision 2063 goal of reducing suicide rates in the country.
Representing her fellow students, Ravona Macheso, a Form 2 learner from Malindi Secondary School, expressed gratitude for the training, saying it has equipped her with valuable coping skills.
“I’ve learned how to deal with anxiety and better understand mental health issues that affect many young people,” she said.
