Anne Wang’ombe, the Principal Secretary for Gender and affirmative Action, urged teachers to overcome the stigma surrounding mental health and seek help. She addressed the audience during the first-ever Mental Wellness Walk for teachers’ nationwide, urging educators to openly discuss issues impacting their mental well-being.
The walk was organized by the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) and started at the Ulinzi Sports Complex and ended at Nyayo Stadium, in Nairobi. The walk aimed to collect funds for the establishment of a wellness centre dedicated to teachers.
The centre will take about KSh400 million to establish, according to KEWOTA Chief Executive Officer, Benta Opande. Opande said the association is in negotiations to acquire a piece of land for the centre. The association is collaborating with the Ministry of Public Works to design the centre, which will include a variety of amenities such as inpatient wards, clinics, and facilities for physical therapy.
“We are working with the Kenya National Union of Teachers, Nairobi branch, because they have a land scheme in Joska. We have agreed with them that after the walk, majority of that financing will go towards buying the land,” she said.
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KEWOTA plans to collaborate with other organizations to establish the facility. “We expect to do the groundbreaking in December this year,” added Opande. She also emphasized that the association will facilitate teachers’ access to mental health care within the existing facilities. Additionally, she highlighted that approximately one in four tutors experience mental illness and distress.
KEWOTA is a welfare organization that enhances the living standards of women in the teaching profession in Kenya. It was formed in 2007.
It provides avenues for professional, economic, and personal development for women educators. KEWOTA has sponsored women teachers to further their studies up to PhD level and built houses for teachers as well as granting water tanks to hundreds of teachers.
By Frank Mugwe
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