Lighten Your Burden Launch

​Funded by the UK High Commission in Eswatini, Phumelela, in collaboration with Yebo Art Gallery and Antidote Foundation, developed a mental health booklet. This booklet serves as an introduction to mental health, covering the most common mental health issues relevant to the Swazi people. It explains what these issues are, their potential causes, and the available support (including self-care tips). To enhance understanding, especially for individuals from rural areas, the content was translated into Siswati. A total of 10,000 copies were printed, with 5,000 copies in Siswati and 5,000 copies in English, and distributed to various relevant stakeholders such as civil society groups, refugee camps, the Deputy Prime Minister's Office, churches, and the Royal Eswatini Police Service, among others.

The feedback received was highly positive, particularly for the Siswati version. People from rural areas expressed that they were previously unaware of the Siswati words for certain mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Consequently, the booklet played a crucial role in introducing these terms into the Swazi vocabulary, fostering a better understanding of mental health within the community.