In Africa, mental illness remains taboo despite having the highest suicide rate in the world. There is access to very little, if any, professional care for those with severe mental health conditions, which can range between 85% and 95%. This issue is mainly found in young people, who suffer the second-highest cause of death after road accidents. However, a new hairdresser initiative could shift the narrative around mental health one braid at a time.
Marie-Alix de Putter founded ‘Heal by Hair’ after the traumatic loss of her husband in Cameroon 12 years ago. Her hairdresser eased her pain of grief. De Putter became deeply depressed but with extensive psychotherapy and the power of her relationship with her hairdresser, she found emotional strength and support “to stay alive”. The initiative has trained up to 150 hairdressers in Togo, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast. These hairdressers counsel their clients while doing their hair, nails and facials.
The biggest challenge for De Putter was to make hairdressers aware of the valuable role they play within their communities. Many African women regularly spend hours at the hair salon getting their hair braided or washed. This is unlike Europe, where women visit hair salons less frequently. Yet, in Africa, many hairdressers remain the only source of support.
In Ivory Coast, there is little awareness of the benefits of therapy, and the cost is too steep. This leaves many Ivorians struggling with greater mental health issues after two brutal civil wars. Ariatou Ouedraogo received the title of a mental health ambassador after completing a Bluemind Foundation training course. Ouedraogo has learned valuable techniques to spot subtle signs of distress in her clients and encourage them to open up without fear.
The training of mental health champions is vital within the African region. Facilities for mental health care are almost nonexistent, so they are limited to giving basic first aid. Projects like ‘Heal by Hair’ are a crucial pillar to begin addressing the mental health gap in the continent. De Putter will be expanding her project across west Africa and beyond, even to Spain, Portugal and France
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