The Church Sponsors the 2024 Mental Health Conference in Cotonou, Benin

On November 2, 2024, the fourth edition of the Mental Health Awareness Conference, sponsored by the Welfare & Self-Reliance Department of the Church in West Africa, took place at the Cotonou Stake Center under the theme "Preventing and Responding to Abuse." The event aimed to bring together individuals, families, professionals, and advocates committed to mental well-being, fostering open discussions on mental health issues.

Representing the Church was Elder Alfred Kyungu, President of the West Africa Area. He was accompanied by President Ange Odilon Mahuenan Sahoui, President of the Cotonou Stake, Tamara Esi Dadson, Manager of the International Family Services Program, Marian Esiape, Welfare and Self-Reliance Director, and Flint Mensah, Director of Temporal Affairs.

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To open the conference, President Sahoui welcomed dignitaries and other guests, emphasizing the importance of the knowledge to be shared during the conference. Following his introduction, invited speakers addressed the audience. 

Elder Kyungum, in his introductory speech, made a clarion call to all to reflect on how to contribute to a culture of healing and inclusion within our churches, communities, and homes. “This may mean reaching out to someone who seems distant, listening to their struggles, and offering support. It may involve educating ourselves about mental health and abuse, so we can better understand and empathize with those who suffer. And it should involve testifying that through His divine atonement, our Saviour, who was Himself “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,” offers them “healing in [His] wings.”

In his remarks, Flint Mensah expressed the Church's deep commitment to creating environments where people feel safe and protected, where everyone can find healing, trust, and, most importantly, the love of Christ. "The Church offers many resources to support members, leaders, and families. The guide Abuse: Help, Healing, and Protection, available in the Gospel Library, is designed to provide support to those affected by abuse and to those helping them find healing."

Other speakers addressed various topics related to the theme.  His Majesty Daa Mito Kpotozounme of Aguegue expressed his gratitude to the Church for this initiative aimed at strengthening mental health. Dr. Antonella Crisante, a Clinical Psychologist and expert in Clinical and Legal Psychodiagnostics, spoke about types, predisposing factors, and processes for reporting abuse.  She noted that, although mental health is rarely addressed when discussing health, abuse is a serious issue that affects not only a person's mental health but also their physical well-being and the environment around them.

Dr. Bernard Kouassi Comlan, a Clinical Psychologist, emphasized the ubiquitous nature of abuse and explained that, most of the time, the abuser is unaware of the consequences of their actions on others. Elder Kossi Ganyo Azedzi, a missionary from the Church's Family Services in charge of Togo, spoke about the Church's resources to support leaders, victims, and families. Additionally, he highlighted several resources for preventing and responding to abuse, including reporting it to the authorities, seeking information about available resources on abuse, addressing life challenges through the Church's library, and reaching out to local Church leaders for legal services.

The conference included musical performances by various artists from Benin, including the Beninese Unity Choir, a polyphonic vocal ensemble comprising singers from various faiths, performed, along with the Beninese dance group Tcha'ako P. Empire.

The Mental Health Awareness Conference began in 2021 with the aim of reaching a diverse audience to share knowledge and promote awareness of mental health resources available to them. This year’s conference in Benin attracted participation from about 22 units in the region, with over 80 devices connected online.