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On June 26, 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa, played host to a landmark event in the digital wellness space—the My Kind of TikTok Digital Well-Being Summit. This first-of-its-kind gathering brought together creators, mental health professionals, NGOs, and policymakers from across Sub-Saharan Africa to advance a shared vision: a safer, kinder, and more mentally healthy digital environment. 

The summit cantered around the themes of #PromoteKindness and #MentalWellbeingAwareness, underscoring TikTok’s commitment to nurturing positive online communities.  

A key focus was the fight against harmful misinformation, with TikTok unveiling new strategies to empower creators with accurate, culturally relevant knowledge. 

One of the collaborations highlighted during the summit was with Eveminet, a digital literacy and safety organization based in Kenya. Through its #SaferTogether Program, Eveminet is equipping youth, young adults, parents, educators, and government stakeholders across Kenya and East Africa with the tools and training needed to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly. Read more on TikTok’s newsroom 

🌍 Mental Health in Africa: Online and Offline Realities 

Current Challenges 

1. Severe Workforce Shortage: Africa holds only 1% of the global mental health workforce, despite 10% of its population suffering from mental health disorders. 

1. Stigma and Cultural Barriers: Mental illness is often misunderstood or stigmatized, leading to social exclusion and reluctance to seek help. 

1. Limited Access to Services where many regions lack mental health facilities, especially in rural areas. Services are often centralized in urban psychiatric hospitals. 

1. Underfunding: Mental health services are chronically underfunded, with outdated institutional models still in use. 

Emerging Solutions 

• Community-Based Care: Programs like Zimbabwe’s Friendship Bench train community health workers to provide talk therapy, making care more accessible and culturally relevant 

• Integration into Primary Care: Countries are embedding mental health services into general healthcare to improve access 

• Digital Innovations: Mobile health platforms, teletherapy, and mental health apps are expanding access, especially in remote areas. 

• Recently the launch of Mental health recourses and tools in app. Follow this instructions to set up your account:

🚫 Tackling Bullying in Africa: Practical Tips by Context 

1. In Schools 

• Anti-Bullying Policies: Advocate for clear, enforced policies in school codes of conduct. 

• Peer Support Programs: Train student leaders to mediate and support peers. 

• Mental Health Education: Integrate emotional intelligence and empathy training into curricula. 

2. Online (Cyberbullying) 

• Digital Literacy Campaigns: Teach youth about respectful online behavior and how to report abuse. 

• Platform Accountability: Push for local tech regulations requiring social media platforms to moderate harmful content. 

• Anonymous Reporting Tools: Encourage schools and communities to adopt tools for safe reporting. 

3. In Communities 

• Community Dialogues: Use local forums and religious gatherings to discuss bullying and mental health openly. 

• Engage Traditional Leaders: Involve elders and chiefs in promoting inclusive, non-violent norms. 

• Safe Spaces: Create youth centres or clubs where young people can express themselves safely. 

4. Policy and Advocacy 

• National Campaigns: Support government and NGO-led awareness drives. 

• Mental Health Legislation: Advocate for laws that protect individuals from psychological abuse and ensure access to care. 

• Youth Involvement: Empower young people to lead anti-bullying initiatives and mental health advocacy. 

This event was attended by about 22 Stakeholders across the continent from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa (Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg).

“A key highlight of the summit was the unveiling of several groundbreaking initiatives and collaborations designed to foster healthier digital behaviours. These included extending TikTok’s global $2.3 million Mental Health Education Fund to Sub-Saharan Africa, launching a new in-app meditation feature accessible to all users, and enhancing local in-app helplines to  

“Valiant Richey, Global Head of Trust and Safety Outreach and Partnerships at TikTok, underscored the platform’s deepening commitment to user wellbeing:
‘We are honoured to introduce tools that not only promote digital wellness but also provide our community—particularly younger users—with a secure and supportive environment in which to navigate complex emotional experiences.’“ 

TikTok has announced plans to expand its in-app helpline services across multiple African countries, building upon successful pilot initiatives previously launched in Europe. These helplines will provide users with direct access to professional support when reporting content related to suicide, self-harm, hate speech, and harassment. In addition to enforcing its Community Guidelines, TikTok is committed to ensuring that users can connect with trained mental health professionals for timely and personalized assistance. 

As part of its broader commitment to mental health advocacy, TikTok also introduced a newly appointed group of verified Mental Health Ambassadors, in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s Fides Network. This inaugural cohort includes prominent figures from across the continent, such as Sanam Naran and Dr. Siya from South Africa, Dr. Claire Kinuthia from Kenya, and Dr. Wales from Nigeria. These ambassadors will play a pivotal role in normalizing mental health discourse online and providing expert insights to millions of users across the platform. 

This was a significant summit as our CEO – Evelyn Kasina moderated a panel: Creating a positive online environment: Best practice for users and platforms with very esteemed panellists

1. Mr. Eprahim Tlhako who is the current Ag. CEO of Film and Publication Board
2. Dennis Cofie – A Football content creator and a Safety Advisory Council member (SAC) SSA
3. Fatima Seedat, the communication manager at South Africa Depression & Anxiety Group.
4. Mercy Kimaku, the Regional Risk Response Lead in SSA at TikTok overseeing Trust and Safety efforts within the region.
5. Anne Mwaura, of Bonga Platform

In a world of “endless” swipes, it is often important to pause and talk about balance – before tour fingers fine for “burnout”