With Minister Conrad Sackey in Attendance, SRHIN Certifies 60 Teachers to Strengthen Mental Health Education and Substance Use Prevention in Sierra Leone
by Peace Oregbesan and Promise Taiwo
Slum and Rural Health Initiative
The Slum and Rural Health Initiative (SRHIN), through the Brave Heart Project, continues to champion youth mental health awareness and substance use prevention in schools across Freetown, Sierra Leone. On Friday, February 13, 2026, our team successfully organized the Brave Heart Teachers Certification Ceremony at City Hall, Empower Africa Business Center, formally recognizing over 60 teachers from 20 schools for their outstanding commitment to promoting mental health literacy, refusal skills, and healthy decision-making among students.
The event was a remarkable showcase of collaboration, impact, and recognition, with over 100 distinguished participants in attendance, including the Honorable Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad O. Sackey, who served as the Chief Guest, and Honorable Saa Emerson Lamina, Member of Parliament and Deputy Leader in the Government, whose presence underscored the significance of this milestone for integrating our Brave Heart curriculum into the national school curriculum in Sierra Leone to improve mental health education and prevent substance use among youths.
The ceremony opened with a warm welcome from SRHIN’s Sierra Leone Country Coordinator, Mohamed Marah, who highlighted the Brave Heart ethos of advocacy, research, and the use of technological tools in data collection to support youth mental health initiatives. He framed the event as “a celebration of the beginning of long-lasting change,” commending project team members in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, teachers, community leaders, field researchers, government partners, and funders (Grand Challenges Canada, the Being Initiative and their global mental health partners) for their key roles in advancing the project. He also emphasized how the project is creating sustainable pathways for mental health awareness and substance use prevention among school-aged youth, aligning with Sierra Leone’s broader national objectives for mental health education initiatives.
Afterwards, the Honorable Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Conrad O. Sackey gave his notable remarks, commending the teachers’ courage and commitment. “As you receive your certification, it does not measure your courage but recognizes it,” he said, praising the volunteer spirit of Sierra Leoneans in promoting youth mental health. He stressed the importance of civic education in teaching pupils their responsibilities for peaceful living and patriotism, urging teachers, stakeholders, and society to amplify the lessons of the Brave Heart Curriculum across schools and communities.
One of our Technical Working Group members; Mr. Mohamed B. Kallon, highlighted the urgent need for early intervention against rising substance use among youth. He cited increasing reports of cannabis, tramadol, ecstasy, and other narcotics in schools and emphasized that addressing this challenge is “a collective responsibility requiring involvement from teachers, parents, and communities.” His remarks underscored SRHIN’s structured approach to building young people’s mental health literacy, refusal skills, and healthy decision-making strategies.
Furthermore, Honorable Saa Emerson Lamina, Member of Parliament and Deputy Leader of Government in Parliament, delivered a keynote address, highlighting the risks of drug abuse to national productivity and social stability. Citing its impact on education, exam integrity, and community wellbeing, he emphasized that addressing substance use in schools is critical for maintaining social stability and nurturing Sierra Leone’s future leaders.
At the event, we also spotlighted the remarkable contributions of teachers and field researchers. Testimonials from our trained teachers such as Kadiatu Kamara (Saint Joseph Convent Secondary School), Musa Serry (Sierra Leone Grammar School), and Momoh Abdul Kargbo (Sierra Leone Muslim Congress) highlighted how Brave Heart training provides practical guidance for addressing drug abuse, strengthens classroom interventions, and inspires the creation of Mental Health School Clubs to extend impact beyond the classroom.
The ceremony reached its peak with the certification presentation by the Honourable Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, where 60 teachers received certificates and digital tablets, equipping them to continue implementing the Brave Heart intervention in their schools. Group photos captured the pride, unity, and dedication of our team and participants alike, cementing this moment as a landmark achievement for SRHIN.
This event represents a significant step forward for SRHIN, demonstrating the effectiveness of our community-driven, evidence-based approach to youth mental health. By empowering teachers as agents of change, we are expanding access to mental health education, substance use prevention, and life skills training for young people across Sierra Leone.
The success of the Brave Heart Teachers Certification Ceremony underscores SRHIN’s growing impact and positions the project as a model for sustainable youth-centered interventions. We extend our profound gratitude to our entire team, volunteers, field researchers, government partners, teachers, community stakeholders, and most importantly, our funders Grand Challenges Canada and Being Initiative for their continued support in improving access to youth mental health services across underserved populations.