As part of the Mental Health Month celebration, the Boy Child Supportive Care Foundation (BCSCF) has organised a self-hygiene and mental health education for Kwabenya Atomic Municipal Assembly 1 and
5 Junior High students.
The student were taken through some basic tips on how to stay hygienic, how to stay hydrated, how to exercise to keep their body fit, and how to realise stress and pressure.
They were also educated on the effects of drug abuse and excessive gambling, the need to stay away from drugs and any other social vices.
The Mental health talk which was held in Accra yesterday was on the theme; “Mental Health and Well Being of the Boy Child.”
In an interview with the Ghanaian Times after the event, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BCSCF, MS Edna Korana Yamoah, said over the years the boy child mental and psychological needs have been ignored due to gender stereotypes.
She said it was important to “keep an eye” on boys at home and in school as they were confronted with personal, social and psychological challenges.
The CEO observed that some single parents left teenage boys to fend for themselves because they were considered “masculine enough.”
That approach, she stated, was counterproductive as some young ones engaged in “appropriate behaviours.”
She urged the students to refrain from social vices like gambling and smoking, and called on community members to support the overall development of the boy child.
Ms Yamoah, said the organisation was forming community boy clubs and embarking other educational initiatives to help nurture and guide the adolescent boys on the right path.
Leading the discussions, Mr Ernest Sarpong, Physician Assistant, urged the students to not “suppress their emotions” and have grievances addressed through appropriate channels.
“Parents, guardians and teachers should know that adolescent boys go through different transformational stages of their live, “they should remember that their emotions are valid and should not be swept under the carpet,” he stated.
Mr Emmanuel Laryea, the School Head, praised the Foundation for the effort, indicating the discussions would be extended as teachers continued to impact the students positively.
He also urged parents and teachers to take mental health issues seriously and engage students on the subject at a tender age, stressing that, “When we start early we will be able to deal with some of the deficiencies in time.”
Ms Diana Tandoh, Programmes Manager, said parents should do all it takes for adolescent boys to grow and realise their full potentials, just as girls are prioritised.
She said the organisation would roll out similar programmes to help teenage boys realise their full potentials.
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA