Healthy Minds Thriving Kids: can we improve learning and non-cognitive skills by promoting their mental health?

Children’s and adolescents' mental health is a growing global concern, especially in developing countries and among vulnerable groups (WHO, 2022). Although the link between youth mental well-being and human capital development is well-documented in HICs (Currie and Stable, 2006), causal evidence from low-income countries is limited. There is scarce rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of school-based mental health systems in low-income countries on learning outcomes, especially those (i) promoting early mental well-being; (ii) training teachers in mental health literacy to destigmatize mental health and facilitating referrals to professional services. This innovative approach aims to provide evidence-based solutions to enhance children’s mental health and inform legislation in low-income countries and globally.

This proposal aims to investigate the feasibility of an intervention promoting mental health awareness and prevention systems in schools, and assessing its impact on educational outcomes. The proposed activities will take place in Rwanda and Uganda, leveraging the PIs’ experience in implementing projects in these countries. Through this exploratory work, researchers will expand existing partnerships with local technical partners, proposing specific actions, milestones, and deliverables.