Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – Mariama Sanyang used to believe that the strange heaviness she felt in her chest was something only she carried. In her quiet village of Manduar just outside Brikama, there was no word for “depression” — only whispers of “too much thinking” or fears of being cursed. So she suffered silently. That is, until one day, a community radio broadcast caught her attention.

It was a voice like hers. A young woman from Farafenni spoke openly about panic attacks. She said, “It’s not a curse. It’s not madness. It’s illness — and I got help.” That voice was part of Mental Health Week Gambia — a grassroots campaign that speaks not with lectures, but with love, language, and lived truth.

This year, from May 10th to 17th, the campaign returns under the theme “Nanu Yërëm Sunu Bopp” — “Let’s Have Mercy on Ourselves.” It’s not just a slogan; it’s a lifeline. Through public service announcements, bold comic strips, real stories, and a groundbreaking hybrid Town Hall on May 17th, the campaign is transforming silence into solidarity.

But this mission needs voices. It needs hands. It needs hearts.

Donors, your contributions will help print comics that a child in Basse might read for the first time and recognize their own anxiety. Volunteers, your energy can help manage events that offer hope to families who’ve only known fear. Partners, your platforms — schools, mosques, and media houses — can turn whispers into waves of healing. Health professionals, your presence says, “You’re not alone.”

Most of all, it needs Gambians like Mariama, who now help others find words for what they feel. She says, “When I heard her speak, I felt seen. Now, I speak too.”

Because mental illness is not a failure. It is not witchcraft. It is illness — and illness can be treated.

This Mental Health Week, let’s show what mercy looks like. Let’s speak our minds. Let’s be the voice someone like Mariama needs to hear.

Contact:

To support, collaborate, or join us:
Facebook: Amran Gaye, Rabia Ceesay, or Jorr Jaiteh Email: amrangaye@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +1 226 988 0620