How C-Sema cares for its carers.
- C-Sema Team
- Jul 20
- 3 min read
Recently, our team gathered at our conference room for the usual hustle of meetings but for a mental health refresher, a space to pause, check in, and sharpen the way we show up for others in our work. The training brought together 25 of our CHL (Child Helpline) counsellors all of them people who spend their days (and sometimes nights) picking up calls that others might be afraid to take.
This was part of our Break the Silence. Your Life Matters. project with Lifeline International. The goal was simple: help the people who help others. Give them tools. Make space for reflection. Remind them that their mental health matters too.
We began by going over what mental health actually means. Not in textbook terms, but in real life. We talked about how trauma, poverty, family, even the stories we carry from childhood can shape how we feel, cope, and connect with others.
Then came the harder part: how to tell when someone’s struggling. Dr. Michelle Nicole led us through signs to look for especially in kids. Things like sudden withdrawal, mood changes, trouble sleeping, even bedwetting. We spoke about teenagers too, and how easy it is to miss their silent battles. It hit home for a lot of us how often we dismiss things as “just stress” when someone’s really in pain.
Ms. Fatuma held space for a conversation we don’t have often enough about pressure, disappointment, and how much it weighs on young people. Not in theory. In real life. No jobs. No space to talk. So much comparison. She reminded us that resilience isn’t something you either have or don’t. It’s something we grow, especially when we’re surrounded by people who believe in us.
We explored ways to cope simple things like journaling, moving your body, breathing through hard moments. Nothing fancy, but it made us think about how often we forget to care for ourselves while caring for others.
Later, Mr. Michael brought up something every parent, teacher, and young person is dealing with the impact of social media. We talked about the pressure to “keep up,” the fear of missing out, and how damaging online spaces can be when kids have no one to guide them.
We looked at both sides how tech can connect and support, but also harm. We left that session thinking differently about how we approach conversations with young people who live half their lives online.
A Few Takeaways That Stuck With Us
We wrapped up the day with a conversation about what we learned and how we felt. Most of the team said they felt more confident, more grounded. Here’s what stood out:
Most of us (88.9%) found the training very useful.
66.7% felt much more confident identifying signs of mental health challenges.
People said they’d take away stress management, exercise, and peer support as real tools they plan to use for themselves and for their callers.
And the suggestions? Many counsellors said they'd love to explore topics like:
Healing from childhood trauma, and
Understanding how mental health ties into reproductive health.
Oh, and they want more time. More space to talk, practice, and learn by doing.
This training was more than a refresher. It was a moment to breathe and remind ourselves that behind every call, every case, there’s a real person. And that person might be hanging on by a thread.
We learned. We laughed a bit. Some of us shared things we didn’t expect to. And when we left the room, we didn’t just leave with better knowledge we left feeling seen, heard, and supported too.
We’ll keep showing up. But now we’re doing it with a little more awareness, and a little more strength.
Prepared by C-Sema's Communications Team.
