Gumare residents have been urged to dismantle the silence surrounding suicide and build supportive communities where individuals can openly voice their personal struggles.
This crucial call to action echoed through the Gumare Kgotla this week as the Okavango District joined the rest of the world in marking World Suicide Prevention Day, under the global theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide: Start the Conversation.”
The commemoration, hosted by Gumare Primary Hospital, unified community members, Dikgosi, healthcare professionals, social workers, clergy, police officers, educators, local youth, and other stakeholders to advance mental health awareness.
Okavango District Council Deputy Chairman Brian Samoka emphasised that suicide prevention is a collective responsibility, rather than a burden left to health professionals alone. He challenged communities to establish safe environments where people can candidly confess their vulnerabilities without fear of being judged or dismissed.
Samoka observed that modern youth face compounding pressures from social media, complex relationships, and unemployment, rendering familial and community safety nets more vital than ever.
“Changing the narrative” demands a profound shift in how society responds to those seeking help, noted Psychiatric Nurse Tshepo Ramolelekwane.
She explained that stigma and discrimination frequently muzzle those who suffer, stressing the urgency of normalising mental health dialogue, help-seeking behaviours, and active compassion.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Oladimeji Akeem Akinyemi implored the public to practice active listening whenever someone reaches out. He warned against trivialising severe emotional distress with dismissive phrases like “just pray and sleep,” noting that many individuals simply require a compassionate ear to help them access professional interventions.
Speakers further dismantled the cultural expectation for men to project constant stoicism, hide tears, or mask internal distress. They asserted that true strength is not proven by enduring agony in isolation, reinforcing that a father or young man exhibits real courage by declaring, “I need help.”
Parents were similarly advised to stop measuring their children’s contemporary struggles against their own past upbringings, opting instead to genuinely inquire about what their children are experiencing.
The plea reached far past the household level, calling on churches, Dikgosi, schools, neighbours, and other community structures to actively engage by listening, supporting, and directing vulnerable individuals toward professional care networks.
Ultimately, the gathering underscored the necessity of treating mental health with the identical gravity afforded to physical illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. Residents were therefore encouraged to check on one another, listen empathetically, and choose open dialogue over destructive silence.
