“Malawi is known as the warm heart of Africa,” says Dr Sandra Jumbe. "But even warm hearts can struggle." A health psychologist by profession, Dr Jumbe's passion lies not in healing bodies, but in nurturing minds — particularly the young minds that fill Malawi's universities.
"It all started with listening," she explains. "Even as a teenager, I loved hearing people's stories, understanding their journeys. So, when I became a psychologist, I naturally gravitated toward youth mental health." What she discovered, though, was far from what she expected. "There was a huge gap in understanding," she continues. "Young people didn’t know what mental health was, and their families often didn’t either." This lack of awareness fuelled a cycle of stigma and silence.
 

Dr Jumbe wasn’t one to stay silent. Determined to make a difference, she embarked on a mission to bring mental health literacy to the forefront. "I wanted to create a program that spoke directly to young people—something they could connect with," she says. Thus, the Mental Health Literacy e-Curriculum (MHLeC) was born.
But the MHLeC wasn't just Dr Jumbe's creation. "Collaboration is key," she emphasizes. "I worked closely with students from the very beginning. Their voices, their experiences shaped the entire program." The result is a curriculum that is not only informative but also engaging and culturally relevant. "It's about teaching them the signs and strategies," she explains. "How to manage stress during exams, how to support a friend struggling—real-life skills they can use right away."
The impact has been undeniable. "The results are fantastic," Dr Jumbe beams. "We've seen a dramatic increase in students' mental health literacy scores." But for her, the numbers are just the beginning. "I dream of a Malawi where the MHLeC is everywhere," she shares, "And beyond that, I see it reaching other African countries."
Dr Jumbe’s ambitions don’t stop there. "I want to build a center for health psychology in Malawi," she reveals, with a spark of determination. "A place for research, training, and advocacy—a true hub for mental health awareness."
Dr Sandra Jumbe isn't just a psychologist; she's a champion for young minds. With her unwavering dedication and innovative approach, she is paving the way for a brighter future, not just in Malawi, but across Africa. Her story reminds us that sometimes, the most powerful tool for healing is simply listening—and then taking action.
 
Excerpt from Dr Sandra Jumbe’s interview:
“When I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to help people. I was always the person who, in a crowded room, would sit and listen to everyone’s stories—their experiences, their thoughts, why they did the things they did. It fascinated me. I was good at science, so everyone kept saying, ‘You should be a doctor.’ But I knew I didn’t want to be a medical doctor. Something about that just didn’t fit me.
Then I found psychology. It clicked. And as I went deeper into it, I found myself drawn to mental health—especially the mental health of young people. I began to notice the gaps, the misconceptions. In my clinical practice, it was clear that mental health was something people just didn’t talk about. There was a huge stigma around it. And even when people did seek help, they were often misunderstood. They would say things like, ‘I feel low,’ or ‘I’m anxious,’ and their families would brush it off. Parents didn’t always know how to support their children because they didn’t understand what mental health struggles looked like. That broke my heart.
So, I started doing mental health awareness in my community. I would give free talks, offer free counselling. And I kept hearing the same thing: parents were worried about their children but didn’t know what to do. The kids themselves didn’t feel heard. They were dealing with substance abuse, depression, anxiety—and they didn’t have the language or the support to manage it. That’s when I realized, this is where I need to be. This is my work.
I started talking to young people in Malawi, where I’m from, and what I found was powerful. They didn’t know what mental health was—not really. And even if they did, their parents and communities didn’t. It created this cycle of silence and misunderstanding. Young people would say, ‘I’m feeling depressed,’ or ‘I think I need help,’ but their families didn’t know how to respond. That’s when the idea for the mental health literacy curriculum came about.
We developed it together—me and the young people. It wasn’t just me creating something and giving it to them. We held workshops. They told me what they wanted to learn, how they wanted to learn it. I was just the guide. And now we’re running it in universities across Malawi.
The curriculum is practical. It’s not just about defining what mental health is, but teaching students how to manage stress, how to help a friend who might be suicidal, how to recognize the signs of anxiety or depression in themselves. It’s all about giving them the tools they need to cope with real-life situations.
I remember looking at the data from the first site where we implemented the program. The students’ mental health literacy scores had doubled. Doubled. I couldn’t believe it. But more than the numbers, what struck me were the stories. Students were coming forward and saying things like, ‘I didn’t know this was what I was feeling. Now I can get help.’ That’s the real impact.
Mental health support in Malawi is limited. There just aren’t enough services. And for young people, there are no specialized services at all. So, what we’re doing with this curriculum is preventative. We’re equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to take care of their mental health before it becomes a crisis. And hopefully, some of these students will go on to become mental health practitioners themselves, which is something we desperately need here.

This work has become my passion. The African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) fellowship has been a big part of that. It’s given me a platform, both nationally and internationally, to talk about mental health and the importance of understanding it. And it’s allowed me to grow as a leader. I’m not just a psychologist anymore. I’m a researcher, a team leader. I’ve built an incredible team around this project, and I’m so proud of the work we’re doing.
One of the most rewarding things has been mentoring young researchers. I get to supervise their research projects, help them apply for funding, and see them grow. It’s like everything I’ve been through—every challenge, every rejection—has prepared me to help them. I want to be the catalyst for change in how we approach mental health in Africa. We need to stop copying and pasting policies from other countries. Our context is different, our challenges are different, and we need to start creating solutions that work for us.
I dream of taking this curriculum beyond Malawi—across Africa. I’m already working with colleagues in Namibia, Kenya, and South Africa on a project to expand it. And one day, I want to open the first center for health psychology in Malawi. We need a place where we can do high-quality research that directly benefits our people. My dream is big, but so is the need. And I believe we can meet it.”

Dr Sandra Jumbe is a fellow of the African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) programme and a senior lecturer at Millennium University in Malawi. ARISE is an innovative research and innovation (R&I) support programme of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), implemented by the AAS in partnership with the African Union (AU) the European Commission (EU).