The Kavango East Region is grappling with a concerning mental health crisis, recording 4,492 cases in 2023 and 2024.
This was shared during an event to raise mental health awareness among the boy child, held in Rundu.
The alarming figure reflects a rise in cases of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, trauma-related disorders, violence, poverty, and inequality.
The event, held under the theme "Strong Minds, Strong Men, Breaking the Silence in Rundu", was organised to raise awareness about mental health and lay a better foundation for the boy child to face life with a positive mindset.
"Financial debt, financial difficulties, relationship problems. Those are at the top. Sometimes it's just the peer pressure of seeing my neighbour on this side build a wall, and this other one here also build a wall, and here I am in the middle with a kambashu. That is where these things are coming from. We sit in our offices with people who would sit and cry, saying, 'If only I had taken my school seriously, I wouldn't be here.' If only I had listened to my parents, I wouldn't be here. If only I did this'. But that 'if only' becomes very dangerous," said senior social worker Agnes Rengi.
Rengi added that a lack of father figures in the upbringing of some men also contributes to mental health cases.
"As a boy child, who is your mentor? Who do you look up to? A father figure is something that is lacking in our communities, and some of us here already have kids, some of us don't have kids, and some of us are experiencing the result of not having a father figure in our lives. Where does it go back? It goes back again to men. Just like my brother said earlier, it's a time we men are supposed to lift up our fellow men. Right? As men, you know better what you are experiencing. You know better the challenges that you are facing."
Rengi urged men not to be afraid to speak with a trusted person or seek support from social workers.
She expressed her disappointment at the low attendance of boys at the event, noting that fear of discrimination might have discouraged them from participating.
Rengi also highlighted the benefits of social clubs and male peer support groups, stating that these platforms can help young men stay engaged and learn from each other on how to face life's challenges.