Mental health is fast emerging as one of the most pressing challenges facing children and adolescents. Despite its significance, mental health remains underfunded and often overlooked in public health and development agenda.
In Kenya, over two-fifths of adolescents (44.3%) are affected by mental health conditions with suicide ranking as the second leading cause of death among this demographic. This alarming reality underscores the urgent need for action.
It is against this backdrop that LVCT Health convened the 2nd Child and Adolescent Mental Health Summit (CAMH 2025) in Mombasa on September 11-12th 2025, bringing together young people, government representatives, policymakers, mental healtn experts, and civil society organizations to critically examine the state of adolescent mental health in Kenya and across the continent.
Under the theme, “Investing in Young Minds: Inclusive, Accessible, and Youth-Led Solutions,” and supported by Grassroot Soccer and SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya, the summit saw over 500 participants take part physically and virtually, marking a decisive step towards placing mental health at the heart of Kenya’s development agenda.
Why mental health among adolescent and young people?
Poor mental health among children and adolescents has a significant impact on many aspects of their lives which hinder them enjoying their full life trajectories. With no clear and dedicated Child and Adolescent Mental Health Policy in Kenya, millions of young people are today living withou a comprehensive framework necessary for prevention, early intervention, and access to quality mental health care.
Besides stigma and discrimantion, mental health challenges also put them at increased risk of drug abuse, sexual behaviors that can lead to HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and unitended pregrancy which in turn affects their school perfomance, decision making and overall health.
Prioritising mental health among the youth
The two-day event commenced with reflections on the inaugural 2024 Nairobi summit, emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to address the rising cases of mental health issues among young people.
Building on previous successes, this year’s summit combined with the alarming mental health realities, focused on deepening discussions, accelerating the implementation of innovative models such as MindSKILLZ, and fostering new partnerships to scale impactful interventions. It also underscored the urgent need for action in developing and strengthen evidence-based programmes to address the mental health needs of young people.
Speaking during the official opening of the two-day event, Dr.Lilian Otiso, Executive Director, LVCT Health called for urgent investments in child and adolescent mental health to ensure the problem does not manifest to adulthood and overall health of the country’s population.
“This summit is more than a gathering, it is movement that demands for urgent action to place mental health on Kenya’s development agenda, ”said Dr.Otiso.
Her call was supported by alarming statistics from Dr. Mercy Karanja, a representative from the Ministry of Health that showed 1 in 3 Kenyan adolescents are facing mental health challenges amidst rising poverty, unemployment, academic pressures, and violence.
“This issue can not be addressed by the government alone, but through the concerted efforts of everyone present in this meeting and beyond the confinements of this summit,” she said.
At the summit, youth shared their lived experiences, highlighting stigma, lack of safe spaces, and limited access to care as barriers they face every day.
Dr. Tommy Clark, CEO of Grassroot Soccer, reminded participants that “young people learn best from people they respect, look up to, and trust.” This truth underlines the need for mentors and role models in mental health programming.
The summit also highlighted the critical link between learning and wellness, emphasizing that quality, equitable education cannot be achieved without addressing mental health.
Speaking to this critical link, Elizabeth Otieno from the Ministry of Education called for enhanced mental health literacy, improved teacher training, peer support, and expanded psychosocial services in schools. She also challenged harmful stereotypes, such as the misconception that boys do not experience mental health struggles.
“How big is the issue of mental health in schools? We don’t know, because we cannot yet quantify it, she said.
Throughout the summit, discussions centered on the need to amplify youth voices and perspectives, investment in cutting-edge innovations and digital solutions for mental well-being, and strengthen policies along with stakeholder commitments for long-term and sustained solutions for mental health.
Evidence-based innovations through sport-based mental health initiatives
MindSKILLZ program, a promising sport-based model, holistic youth-led initiative developed by Grassroot Soccer, and contextualized in Kenya by LVCT Health, young researchers, and mental health experts, featured prominently with the program coaches providing an engaging participatory demo for the audience. This preventive, youth-led approach has helped in creating mental health awareness, resilience and coping skills to navigate their futures.
The program has reached over 11,000 adolescents in Mombasa and Nairobi counties, achieving impressive results, with plans already underway to scale up to other counties in Kenya.
According to recent data from the program’s evaluation, there has been a 47% decline in young people experiencing clinical depression, leading to sustained improvements in mental well-being which demonstrates long-term resilience among the target population. Parents and program coaches have also observed improved school performance among the young people, with over 91% of participants providing positive feedback about the initiative.
In their words, watch the MindSKILLZ Coaches video here.
Sports for Health- A demonstration of MindSKILLZ
The second day of the summit demonstrated these principles in action, as participants particularly the youth participated in various sporting activities, including a football tournament. This highlighted the significant positive impact of sports on mental well-being, emphasizing that physical activity releases feel-good endorphins, while team play fosters a sense of community and belonging.
MindSKILLZ coaches demonstrated how they use sports for mental health by training adolescents how to understand and cope with their emotions and stresses. They carried out exercises like Take 5 (controlled breathing), stressers (stress ball) and support structures activities.
Next steps
The conversations in Mombasa sent a clear message: mental health for children and adolescents should not be an afterthought but an integral part of their development journey, starting with recognizing its significance and establishing safe environments for all.
Participants noted that, despite the progress achieved over the years, access to mental health services remain significant challenge.
The momentum now lies in translating these commitments into tangible actions:
- Increase investments and foster collaboration to support mental health across all stages of life.
- The Government of Kenya through relevant ministries to expedite the development of a national Child and Adolescent Mental Health Policy to facilitate stigma reduction, sustainable funding, and the protection of children’s rights to thrive.
- Develop and implement sustainable, evidence-based, youth-led initiatives aimed at promoting mental well-being among young people.
- Establish safe mental health spaces at both national and county levels.
- Break taboos and stereotypes that prevent children and adolescents from from openly expressing their needs and aspirations.
As a leading Kenyan organization, LVCT Health remains dedicated to leveraging its influence at county, national, and global levels to advocate for increased collective efforts and investments in mental health. This commitment extends beyond adolescents to encompass all age groups and populations.
Read our study brief: Voices of the Youth — Addressing Mental Health Gaps for Adolescents and Young People in Kenya.
Media Coverage Links
 |  |
Follow the conversation: #CAMH2025 #mentalhealth #YouthVoices #MentalHealthMatters #CAMHSummit
For more information: https://one2onekenya.org/