“We fight for care and against stigma. For you. For all of us. It is a duty of humanity, a public service mission and a fight for social justice. I promise you: you are not alone.”
-Marie-Alix de Putter, Founder and President, Bluemind Foundation
Training hairdressers as mental health ambassadors through the Heal by Hair, a program offered by the Bluemind Foundation, has been developed as a way to address the scourge of mental health issues that impacts 110 million people in Africa, with 60% of them being young women under the age of 25 suffering from anxiety and depression. Interview surveys confirm that a large percentage of women confide in their hairdresser; would trust their hairdresser as a mental health ambassador; and that a majority of hairdressers are ready to train in mental health first aid. The ambassadors undergo a three-day training, focusing on mental health and active listening. The World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Program, used in more than 90 countries, provides core scientific recommendations. The Heal by Hair’s objectives are to heal, empower and elevate hairdressing clients and hairdressers.
