Africa Suicide Prevention Association- (ASPA)

🌍At the African Summit on Suicide Prevention, organised by the Africa Suicide Prevention Association- (ASPA) in Kampala, advocates from Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana discuss ending the criminalisation of suicide attempts and the work needed beyond legal reform. Hear from Mwalimu Martin Amanya, BA.ED, MA Counseling from Uganda; Priscilla Makau from Kenya’s Ministry of Health and Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie from the University of Ghana. 🎥 Watch their reflections on moving from punishment to care and turning changes in law into meaningful support for people who need it.

The 1st African Summit on Suicide Prevention is underway in Kampala, convened by the Africa Suicide Prevention Association- (ASPA) in partnership with the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Mental Health.   IASP is proud to partner with the first Africa Suicide Prevention Summit, bringing together colleagues from across Africa and beyond under the theme From Silence to Action. Over these three days, we’re joining a shared conversation about how we can strengthen suicide prevention.   Day 1 has already highlighted some important messages. Effective suicide prevention starts with communities. Local knowledge must inform the data we collect, the services we provide and the decisions we make. Stronger coordination, shared messaging and better evidence are essential to turning commitment into action and ensuring resources reach those who need them. We were also reminded of the importance of changing the narrative around suicide, moving beyond reporting deaths to sharing stories of survival, recovery and prevention. And, as discussions around refugee and host communities highlighted, we need to build on existing local services and strengthen shared systems of care rather than create parallel ones.   These conversations reinforce why regional collaboration and locally led solutions matter. Prevention works best when it is shaped by the communities it serves, informed by evidence and supported by partnerships that bring people together around a common goal.   At the opening ceremony, IASP Board Member Merab Mulindi delivered the international delegate address. We’re also looking forward to hosting our Partnerships for Life workshop, From Criminalisation to Compassion in Africa, moderated by Professor Joseph Osafo, and to continuing these important conversations over the coming days.   We look forward to the days ahead and to sharing more reflections from Kampala. Together, we can move from silence to action and strengthen suicide prevention across Africa through collaboration and community-led change.

🧡 ON THE GROUND, WE CHOSE NOT TO REMAIN SILENT. These images are more than memories from our mental health awareness outreach across Senegal. They represent a commitment: going into communities, starting conversations about mental health, and addressing a subject that is still too often surrounded by silence — suicide. On the ground, we meet people carrying invisible pain. Some never speak about what they are going through. Others simply need someone to stop, listen, and remind them that they matter. Through HELP AND CLEAN MIND Sénégal, we continue to raise awareness, listen, provide support, connect people to appropriate services, and create spaces where everyone can speak about their struggles without shame and without judgment. Suicide is not only an individual issue. It is a community issue. It is a societal issue. Prevention begins in our families. It begins in our schools. It begins in our neighborhoods. It begins among friends, colleagues, and communities. And sometimes, prevention begins with one simple question: “How are you — really?” Never underestimate the power of listening, being present, or reaching out. During this suicide prevention awareness period, let us turn every conversation into an opportunity to create hope. 🧡 LET’S TALK. LET’S LISTEN. LET’S PREVENT. LET’S SAVE LIVES. No one should have to face their pain alone. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Jo Alcock Jo Robinson AM Foday Sarr Africa Suicide Prevention Association- (ASPA) Victor Armstrong, MSW Dr. Jasmine Cohen-Young, LCSW/ LSCSW Taiwo Lateef Sheikh Gabriela Santos Violet Roumeliotis AM Therese Maggioncalda, LMSW, ACSW Paola M. Taufer Karen Hetherington Africa Suicide Prevention Association- (ASPA) Mouvement Santé mentale Québec