London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

What year did you study the MSc Global Mental Health, and what have you been doing since graduating?

Benedict: I completed the 2015/2016 MSc Global Mental Health programme as a Chevening Scholar. I currently serve as The Carter Center’s Senior Country Representative for Liberia and Senior Mental Health Regional Lead for Africa.

Joy: I was part of the 2021/2022 MSc Global Mental Health cohort as a Commonwealth Scholar. Since graduating, I have been working as the coordinator of the Mental Health Innovation Network. I am also a PhD candidate at LSHTM developing a framework for measurement of mental wellbeing in East Africa, with additional research interests focused on strengthening mental health systems and policies to improve equitable access to quality mental health care.

Giovanni: I studied the MSc in Global Mental Health in 2015-2016. I have worked with WHO and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), mainly supporting countries to strengthen and reform their mental health systems, alongside work on global advocacy and mental health diplomacy. I also co-founded Global Mental Health Solutions.

Shayni:  I had the privilege of being part of the 2019/2020 MSc Global Mental Health cohort. Since graduating, I have worked as Advocacy Lead at South Africa’s largest federation of community-based mental health organisations, engaging regularly with the National Department of Health to advance more accessible mental health care. This year, I joined United for Global Mental Health, working alongside national partners on issues ranging from suicide decriminalisation to mental health systems reform.

Alvine: I graduated from the MSc Global Mental Health programme in 2024. I currently serve as a Mental Health Officer within the Mental Health Sub-Department of the Department of Health Promotion at Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Health.

You recently reconnected at the WHO Intercountry Mental Health Meetings in Lomé, Togo. What was it like to meet fellow Global Mental Health alumni from different cohorts, and what were some of your key reflections from the event?

Joy: Meeting fellow Global Mental Health alumni in Lomé was inspiring. Despite graduating from different cohorts and working across different countries and sectors, we shared a common commitment to advancing mental health in our respective contexts. One of my key reflections was the value of continued collaboration and peer learning. While many countries face similar challenges, it was encouraging to see the innovative approaches emerging across the region and the opportunities to learn from one another as we work towards stronger and more equitable mental health systems.

Shayni:  One of the most valuable things about the MSc was gaining a community of colleagues committed to advancing mental health through systemic change and learning from each other across borders.  The Lomé meeting reinforced how important it is to have dedicated spaces to connect around mental health in Africa. Leaders are doing a lot with very little and must be commended. It was special to look around the room and see fellow LSHTM alumni now leading this work across the continent. I feel very honoured to be part of this community.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day, how has your experience on the MSc Global Mental Health influenced your current work, and what gives you hope for the future of mental health care and policy in your country or region?

Benedict: The MSc encouraged me to ensure that people experiencing mental health conditions have a meaningful voice in shaping services and systems. That perspective now informs my work on policy and legislative reform, workforce development, service integration, financing and implementation research across Africa. It also reinforces my conviction that global mental health must be locally led and responsive to political and institutional realities.

I am especially hopeful about the growing generation of African practitioners, researchers, advocates and policymakers who are building solutions rooted in their own contexts while learning across borders.

Giovanni: The MSc gave me the knowledge, connections and perspective that helped me enter the field, and the public and global mental health approach I learned at LSHTM still shapes how I think about my work today.

What gives me hope is that people are talking about mental health more openly, stigma is gradually reducing, governments are paying greater attention, and new actors are investing in the field. The opportunity now is to turn this growing attention into stronger systems, better services and real improvements in people’s lives.

Alvine: The MSc Global Mental Health broadened my perspective, giving me a more global understanding of mental health while equipping me with practical foundations to contribute to change in my country. Most importantly, it strengthened my ability to approach mental health through an evidence-informed lens, particularly in research, policy, and advocacy. This gives me hope that with stronger evidence, collaboration, and locally informed approaches, we can continue to build a more responsive mental health system in Cameroon and across the region.