Noggin Notes Africa

We are in the Mental Health space. The African continent has experienced a lot of trauma from political instability, to civil wars. There are many damaged communities out there and their stories need to be heard by the world. Stories heal, and we aim to heal the continent by having people share their stories. We are currently running a Podcast but the vision we have for the African continent is bigger. The podcast will remain, and we would like to introduce a Mental Health app. Along with this, we want to create a series of talks where people get to share their stories to an audience and have their stories converted into a mini-book where they can sell them and generate some funds, both for Noggin Notes Africa and the narrator. The goal here is to ensure that we are sustainable. The most valuable aspect of this is the sharing of stories. We are hoping that the stories that people will share about their challenges and how they overcame them will enable others. This will also ensure that cross-cultural exchanges are pivoting on common ground. Gradually we begin to see a wave of healing across the continent.  

I am from Angola & Nigeria. I grew up all over the continent but the most memorable was Congo, Kinshasa. It was here that I learned to make something out of nothing. We lived in a middle-class neighbourhood, a great community, went to a good school. Moreover, it was then that I knew I wanted to impact people's lives. I witnessed a lot of hardship in Congo. The Rwandan genocide caused many Rwandese to escape to Congo. In Kinshasa, this was a climate of hostility, people were inhumane, and lost respect for others. The Rwandese left a place they were being massacred only to arrive at a place where they were victims of xenophobic attacks. This had serious Mental Health implications on all affected. I am passionate about people. People helping people. It does not have to be some philanthropic act, just normal people helping out normal people. With Noggin Notes Africa we want to do exactly that. Make everyday people feel like they have a voice and that their voice can impact and change peoples lives. 

Noggin Notes Africa is charting the way forward in improving the continent's Mental Wellness. There have been way too many discussions on the topic of Mental Health where Africa is not even in the room, let alone, we are a continent that has suffered the most wars and civil unrest. There is no way forward for the continent unless we begin a process of retrospection. We need to look at ourselves and determine what the harm was and potentially how do we address this going forward. There needs to be more dialogue as part of the healing process, not just reconstruction and development. We run the risk of shattering the reconstructive aspects being build if we do not fully address the healing of all impacted. There is a growing need to be more empathetic, more courageous in our acts, so those involved that are suffering may find a way to communicate the source of their struggle and pain. Firstly, the world needs to hear their struggle. Secondly, let them begin a true journey of healing. Lastly, we seek to empower all. However, we need a starting point, Noggin Notes has started sharing such stories already, from Tanzania, Congo and more.    

What makes this work innovative is that it is moving along with a global trend, just from an African perspective. There have not been many African Podcasts on the topic of Mental Health. The topic is seen as taboo in Africa, yet we have so many African students that study abroad and end up feeling homesick or suicidal and do not have an African outlet. An African source of comfort other than their parents. The generation the parents come from does not fully accommodate the nuances we experience today. The world has evolved dramatically, however, Africans are still dependent on the old cultural practices and beliefs that are clearly outdated. Technology has shifted the goal post. If I was studying abroad 50 years ago, for example, I would have known that there are limited means of communication with those back home. I would be mentally prepared for such back then. Today, however, it is different. If I go abroad, I feel homesick or suicidal, I have expectations of an immediate response from a message I sent via my phone. Technology has made us effective communicators, yet the unforeseen consequence is instant gratification. As Africans, we need to accommodate such now. 

The world I believe in was not built on a misunderstanding, there is a great sense of synergy and collaboration that went into ensuring we get to live the lives we do. The world needs more healing, we have seen the hardship. Noggin Notes Africa seeks to enable peace and further stability in the world one day at a time. People just want to be heard at the end of the day and have the people listening prepare a constructive thoughtful response. We need to listen more. Noggin Notes Africa aims to share the best of people and the worst. It is not enough to say we are impacting humanity, we are changing how people are humane using empathy. There have been too many inhumane acts and what people will share will change how we have been interacting with one another. Firstly, treating each other as humans by doing the simplest acts of all which is listening. Secondly, we are sharing stories with the world, no one is perfect, we will share our imperfections to allow room for growth. Holding on to such never helps anyone. lastly, change. We want to change this world one day at a time.