Walking the Mind: Fredrick Gori takes mental health campaign across Kenya
"Mental health is not a personal weakness. It is a public health, social and economic issue. This walk is my way of moving from the meeting room to the road, meeting people where they are, listening to their experiences and advocating for practical solutions," said Gori. The post Walking the Mind: Fredrick Gori takes mental health campaign across Kenya appeared first on KBC Digital .
Fredrick Gori, a communications professional, university lecturer and mental health advocate, will embark on an 18-day journey across Kenya on August 18, 2026. This 450-kilometre "Walking the Mind" campaign aims to highlight the often-overlooked mental health crisis in the country. The campaign will take Gori from Migori to Nairobi, passing through Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, Bomet, Narok, Suswa Junction, Kimuka, and Ngong.
Gori's motivation for the walk stems from his personal experiences with mental health, the loss of loved ones who suffered in silence, and witnessing the gap between mental health conversations at policy and institutional levels and the reality faced by ordinary Kenyans seeking help. He states, "Mental health is not a personal weakness. It is a public health, social and economic issue."
Throughout the journey, Gori intends to transform the road into a space for conversation where young people, healthcare workers, county leaders, policymakers and members of local communities can engage in discussions about mental health challenges and explore practical ways to make care more accessible. His four key proposals include equipping Community Health Promoters with mental health first-response skills, increasing qualified mental health professionals in county hospitals, expanding access to counselling and peer-support services through technology, and establishing a Community Mental Health First Response Corner at Migori Level IV Hospital as a potential model for other counties.
As he travels, Gori plans to collect personal stories from ordinary Kenyans, focusing on young people, men, and underserved communities. These stories will provide a human face to the mental health crisis, emphasizing the importance of addressing mental health as healthcare rather than a luxury. Gori hopes his 450-kilometre journey will carry conversations into communities, center personal experiences in the mental health debate, and challenge leaders to envision practical, accessible mental healthcare for Kenyans.
Written by urgent.news from KBC's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
