Campaigns

Green Ribbon Campaign

The Rwanda Biomedical Centre and UNICEF started the Green Ribbon campaign in Rwanda to increase awareness and lessen stigma around mental health. Under the slogan “There is hope after a diagnosis of mental illness,” this campaign offered youth-focused mental health services, peer support programs, and educational materials. A lot of attention was paid to schools, where educators received training on how to recognise mental health problems, provide counselling, and connect students with other resources when necessary. The campaign’s focus on peer and community support was crucial in ensuring that mental health resources were more widely available and culturally appropriate for young people in Rwanda.

UNICEF’s #OnMyMind Campaign

This campaign, which was aimed at young people worldwide, promoted candid conversations about mental health concerns. UNICEF worked with regional partners to advocate for supportive, nurturing environments and to provide resources to help children and adolescents develop resilience. Additionally, #OnMyMind addressed stigma, improved mental health literacy, and promoted positive social change through youth-led conversations on Voices of Youth and other platforms.​

Every Mind Matters

This campaign, which is run by the NHS in collaboration with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, offers useful tools to assist individuals in managing their mental health. The campaign, which is particularly appealing to young adults, encourages people to take proactive measures for their mental health by utilising relatable role models and true stories. Additionally, it provides a free interactive test to direct users to resources for individualised mental health.​

Swirl

The Swirl campaign, created by the UK-based Clout agency, uses a distinctive strategy to de-stigmatize youth mental health by fusing minimalist design with strong, artistic imagery. In order to portray the feelings connected to mental health challenges, the campaign uses visual metaphors such as wavy colours and straightforward, dynamic motion graphics.

Because young audiences are frequently inundated with text-heavy content, Swirl’s bold, simple visuals, rather than intricate narratives, are intended to quickly engage young audiences. This method makes mental health seem less daunting and more accessible.

Platform by Clout

The platform seeks to normalise conversations about mental health, especially for young men who might be reluctant to ask for assistance. In order to lessen stigma and show that asking for help is a strength rather than a weakness, the campaign features real people sharing their stories about mental health.

Platform emotionally engages viewers by emphasising relatable stories and authenticity, which makes mental health issues seem relevant and inspires young people—especially men—to talk about their struggles.

What’s Up With Everyone? by Aardman Animations

ThThe platform seeks to normalise conversations about mental health, especially for young men who might be reluctant to ask for assistance. In order to lessen stigma and show that asking for help is a strength rather than a weakness, the campaign features real people sharing their stories about mental health.

Platform emotionally engages viewers by emphasising relatable stories and authenticity, which makes mental health issues seem relevant and inspires young people—especially men—to talk about their struggles.

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Local Media Consumption

social media

Facebook is still one of the most widely used platforms among young people in Rwanda because it offers a place for community updates as well as social connections. Twitter is also used extensively, particularly for news and conversation about popular subjects. Younger audiences are drawn to Instagram and TikTok because they like sharing and interacting with visual content and trends.​

WhatsApp is a popular tool for both personal and group communication, which makes it helpful for sharing updates in community groups as well as for direct messaging.​

Radio and Community-Based Platforms

Radio:

With shows like Shirimpumu (meaning “relieving minds and hearts”), which airs on national stations and tackles issues of mental health and reconciliation, radio is still a significant medium. Reaching a wide audience, including those in rural areas, this radio drama promotes conversation on delicate subjects and has a particularly strong influence on teaching young people social healing and resilience.

cyber-rwanda: 

a platform that is accessible via digital devices and tablets and offers health and wellness information specifically designed for urban and peri-urban youth. It was created with feedback from young Rwandans and has interactive features like webcomics and frequently asked questions, which make it interesting and accessible for teenagers and young adults in community centres and schools.​

Community Events and Initiatives

Through online and live events, initiatives such as YouthConnekt encourage youth involvement and help Rwandan youth develop their leadership skills, mental health awareness, and sense of community. This program serves as a flexible platform for mental health messaging by matching youth with mentors from the public and private sectors.​