Mental Health Advocate Urges Malawians to Prioritise Men’s Wellbeing
As the world marks Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month this June, a leading Malawian mental health advocate is calling on the nation to break the silence surrounding men’s psychological struggles and take urgent steps to protect their wellbeing.
Levson Mundie Thomas, a Clinical Officer and Executive Director of Moyo Health Rights Foundation, has stressed the need for bold and open conversations about men’s mental health—an issue still buried under stigma and harmful stereotypes.
“As we observe Men’s Mental Health Month, let us reaffirm our commitment to promoting mental wellbeing and reducing stigma,” said Thomas.
“By working together, we can create a supportive environment where men feel empowered to prioritise their mental health.”
Thomas warned that in Malawi, many men suffer in silence due to cultural expectations that discourage vulnerability. This, he said, is fuelling a quiet but deadly mental health crisis.
And the statistics are alarming.
In 2024 alone, Malawi registered 597 suicide cases—522 of them were men.
“This reluctance to seek help only worsens mental health conditions, and for some, it leads to suicide,” he added.
Thomas is urging Malawians—families, employers, communities—to break the culture of silence and actively support men’s emotional wellbeing.
“We must normalise conversations about mental health, especially among men. Education and awareness campaigns are essential in dispelling the myths that men should always be strong and silent,” he said.
Through his organisation, the Moyo Health Rights Foundation, Thomas is currently leading mental health education campaigns in both urban and rural areas. These grassroots sessions aim to increase access to information, reduce stigma, and train people to spot early warning signs of mental distress.
“This isn’t just about saving lives; it’s about giving men the freedom to be human,” Thomas concluded.
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Absolutely urgent that men’s mental health is addressed honestly, for everyone’s benefits. When men struggle, the entire community struggles. When men are well, everyone benefits.
Men inherently have the desire to provide and protect. That is a huge burden especially in a climate of poor employment opportunities, where corruption isca solution out of poverty, wealth is glamorized and women have more power than men in certain communities. Then we have agencies that provide for women without the acknowledgement the men. Huge problem. Now they have replaced the men as the provider, reducing the value men have even further.
The answer is coming back to ancient paths of trading strong and capable young men and empowering them to take a lead. Supporting them and encouraging them to be honest, determined, resilient and courageous. For goodness sake do not follow the western views of masculinity and femininity.