NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 21 – When the term mental health comes up in Kenya, the public imagination often turns to high-pressure professions—police officers turning their guns on themselves or others, doctors weighed down by long hours, or university students buckling under academic and social stress.Headlines about tragic shootings, suicides, and breakdowns have become common, often attributed to depression and other mental illnesses.Yet, amid the national discourse, one demographic remains largely invisible: high school students. Their mental health concerns are frequently dismissed or misunderstood—until it’s too late.At first glance, it’s easy to question whether high schoolers truly face mental health challenges.“What do they have to stress about?” many ask. “They don’t pay bills, don’t raise families, and have the support of parents or guardians.”But this assumption hides a growing crisis.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in seven adolescents aged 10–19 experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15 per cent of the global disease burden in this age group. Depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders are now among the leading causes of illness and disability among teenagers.In Kenya, the situation is no different.Academic pressure For Ann, a 16-year-old Form Four student in Busia County, academic pressure gives her sleepless nights, affecting her mental well-being.“I usually get stressed when I fail to attain the best grades, especially when I know I have the potential. I end up feeling disappointed,” she says.“Sometimes it’s due to my attitude toward certain subjects or when I don’t put enough effort into following my study timetable.”Kevin, a Form Two student from Nkubu in Meru, experienced stress after missing his first term in Form One due to illness.“I was concerned that missing classes for two months would affect my performance, and that really stressed me,” he shares.Their stories reflect the unspoken emotional struggles of thousands of students.Teachers and school counselors report rising cases of anxiety, identity crises, academic and peer pressure, and trauma—issues that often remain hidden behind classroom walls and dormitory doors.Low-cost, evidence-based mental health supportTo bridge this gap, a Kenya-based social enterprise is stepping in.Founded in 2018 by Kenyan entrepreneur Tom Osborn and Harvard researcher Katherine Venturo-Conerly, the Shamiri Institute provides low-cost, evidence-based mental health support tailored to high school students—particularly those in underserved communities.Shamiri uses a unique “near-peer” psychotherapy model. Trained lay counselors aged 18 to 22, known as Shamiri Fellows, facilitate group sessions with students.These peers deliver structured, evidence-backed programs that feel relatable and low-stigma.“The peer-to-peer support allows students to feel more comfortable opening up, as Fellows can understand and relate to their experiences,” explains Veronica Ngatia, Director of Service Delivery at Shamiri Institute.Group sessions typically consist of 6 to 15 students and focus on growth mindset, gratitude, value affirmation, and problem-solving—concepts grounded in positive psychology. The institute’s “active intervention delivery strategy” centers on students’ participation, building on their existing strengths to promote resilience.“Contrary to traditional therapies that emphasize a person’s deficits, we focus on positive traits individuals already have,” says Ngatia.Many students reveal deep emotional burdens during these sessions: low self-esteem, bullying, family instability, and anxiety, with some even taking on adult roles at home or worrying about school fees and food security.Cost-effective mental health modelThe Shamiri model is described as one of the most cost-effective mental health solutions in the region. Since 2021, it has reached over 178,000 students in 350 schools. The goal is to reach 1 million youth annually by 2027.The organization provides clinical referrals for students needing further help—up to four follow-up sessions—and conducts long-term monitoring at one month, one year, and three years post-intervention.“We believe in impact at scale. That’s why we’ve built a low-cost, high-impact model that works,” the institute notes on its website.Ngatia adds that the organization is strengthening partnerships to ensure coordinated follow-up and is exploring models for sustained mental health programming in schools.Policy GapDespite these efforts, systemic support remains limited.In 2019, the government formed a Mental Health Taskforce chaired by psychiatrist Dr. Frank Njenga. Its 2020 report found a lack of national framework for adolescent mental health, noting that most schools lack trained counselors.The taskforce recommended declaring mental illness a National Public Health Emergency and proposed the creation of a Mental Health and Happiness Commission and a National Happiness Index.However, five years on, implementation has stalled and Kenya still lacks a coordinated mental health policy for schools.Mental health experts warn that without national action, youth across the country will continue to suffer in silence.