Mental Health Matters: Our First Psychological First Aid Training
Maternal health is not just about physical health, but also about mental health, resilience, and dignity.
During the last week in August, WAJAMAMA achieved a major milestone in reimagining maternal health in Zanzibar: 29 Community Clinical Facilitators (CCFs) delivering our Group Care Model (GCM), along with 6 government-employed nurse-midwives, were trained in Psychological First Aid (PFA).
Our WAJAMAMA CCFs celebrating with their new certifications.
In Zanzibar, up to 25% of women experience perinatal depression or anxiety, yet mental health support is nearly non-existent in most health facilities. Health workers are overstretched. Women face cultural stigma and isolation. And the impact is generational: untreated maternal mental health challenges affect child development, family stability, and community well-being.
This is why we are heavily integrating mental health into our programs, and why we launched this inaugural three-day training from August 25-27, a cornerstone of our effort to embed mental health into maternal care at every stage.
The training was co-facilitated by Dr. Moira Hennessey, a member of WAJAMAMA’s Board of Trustees, and Jacqueline Owden, our Mental Health and Safeguarding Officer.
Dr. Hennessey brings over 20 years of expertise as a licensed clinical psychologist and public health practitioner. Her work spans psychotherapy, capacity building, and program design across global regions, with a strong focus on trauma treatment and culturally relevant approaches. Her leadership in this training reflects WAJAMAMA’s commitment to evidence-based, globally informed, and locally grounded solutions for maternal mental health.
Jacqueline, in her role as Mental Health and Safeguarding Officer, has been guiding facilitators through practical skills that strengthen trust, safety, and well-being, ensuring every mama in our care feels supported both physically and emotionally. Over the last two years, Jacqueline has been under the mentorship of Dr. Hennessey, integrating best mental health practices into our GCM, ensuring every mama receives the care she needs and deserves. Jacqueline is a professional psychologist, certified Problem Management Plus Trainer of Facilitators, EMDR Level 1 trained, and has a rich experience in facilitating training.
Dr. Hennessey and Jacqueline smile for a photo before handing out certificates to CCFs.
Through interactive workshops, well-being practices, and real-life case scenarios, 33 nurse-midwives learned to:
Apply the Look, Listen, Link model to identify distress and offer immediate support
Build trust and rapport in challenging situations
Guide mamas through coping strategies and grounding techniques
Create safe, trauma-informed spaces where women feel heard and valued
From role-playing scenarios to mindfulness exercises, such as grounding and gratitude circles, the training provided CCFs with knowledge, confidence, and compassion.
Why This is Urgent
Every week in Zanzibar, 40 newborns die unnecessarily from preventable complications, and maternal mental health is one of the biggest, yet most invisible, barriers to change. In WAJAMAMA-supported clinics alone, 54.2% of women screened positive for perinatal depression.
Now, thanks to this training, every CCF is prepared to act as a Mental Health First Aid Responder, making our GCM not only a model for physical care but also a lifeline for emotional and psychological support.
What’s Next & How You Can Help
This training was made possible by supporters who believe in bold care for bold women. To sustain and expand this work, we’re fundraising to build the foundation of a maternal mental health system in Zanzibar.
Donate today to double your impact: https://give-usa.keela.co/wajamama-donate-page
Together, we are demonstrating that maternal health can and must include mental health.
