Hawa Feminist Coalition concludes a weeklong training, mentorship, and coaching program for 50 young women volunteers on mental health and psychological support skills, equipping them to provide essential support to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) suffering from mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Qardho, Puntland, Somalia.
The training, targeting young women volunteers aged 18 to 30, was held in Qardho and facilitated by Marian M. Hussein, a highly experienced expert in mental health and psychosocial support. Marian has long contributed to the development of training materials and tools in this field, and has played a key role in facilitating this and previous trainings, as well as mentoring young women volunteers across Somalia. Her continued mentorship has been instrumental in building a network of competent community-based responders providing mental health and psychosocial support to GBV survivors.
The program combined three days of structured training with three days of mentorship and practical coaching, allowing participants to strengthen both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in offering mental health and psychological support. This blended approach was intentionally designed to solidify the trainees’ skills and prepare them for real-world application in their communities.
The initiative responds to the growing mental health needs resulting from Somalia’s prolonged conflict and worsening climate shocks, which have displaced 2.9 million people nationwide. Since 2021 alone, another 760,000 individuals have been displaced due to devastating droughts. Women and girls from these displaced communities face alarming rates of GBV—ranging from sexual violence and domestic abuse to forced marriage and FGM—while mental health services for survivors remain critically scarce.
Qardho district, which hosts a large number of drought-displaced and protractedly displaced populations from South and Central Somalia, has witnessed high levels of GBV-related trauma and psychological disorders. The trained young women volunteers are now expected to contribute to addressing this gap by offering localized mental health and psychosocial support services, enhancing survivor recovery, and promoting community resilience.
Hawa Feminist Coalition’s long-term strategy includes advocating for the integration of community-based mental health support into Somalia’s broader climate response and health systems strengthening agenda. This training is part of a larger portfolio of initiatives aimed at preventing the root causes of mental health challenges among displaced populations, with a particular focus on reducing gender-based violence and improving access to psychosocial support.
