Tulia Kumekucha

The Tulia Kumekucha project is an arts-based intervention that leverages street murals, photography exhibitions, and social media campaigns to address mental health stigma and foster open dialogue. By harnessing the captivating power of street murals and photography exhibitions, Tunaweza aims to spark open conversations, counter the deeply ingrained misconceptions surrounding mental illness, and cultivate a culture of understanding of mental health among young people.

The project will actively engage young people with lived experience of mental illness, providing them with a platform to share their stories in three cities in Tanzania: Dodoma, Iringa, and Mbeya. This project will:

• Conduct community workshops hosted at mural sites and photography exhibits, led by youth with lived experience, focusing on mental health topics and stigma reduction.
• Equip youth with skills in mural painting, mental health-focused photography and narrative storytelling to express their lived mental health experiences creatively through a curriculum developed by Tunaweza, local artists and the Bagamoyo Institute of Art.
• Use thought-provoking public murals and photography exhibits created by youth with lived experience of mental health challenges, with support from established artists, to spark community discussions about mental health among both youth and community members. Murals and photography exhibits will feature QR codes with links to mental health resources, services and online discussions.
• Facilitate online and offline engagement through a coordinated social media campaign (#Shangaa) to amplify the message and link youth to mental health resources.