Freetown, 29th June 2026- In a effort to confront the often overlooked crisis of men’s mental health, Secure Her Employment For Peace (SHE4PEACE) hosted the “Elevate Men’s Seminar 2.0” at Toma Resort on Cape Road, Aberdeen under the powerful theme “Breaking the Silence: Youth Voices for Men’s Mental Health, Positive Masculinity and Social Transformation,” the event drew approximately sixty men who gathered to dismantle the stigma surrounding male vulnerability.
The atmosphere was one of rare honesty, as attendees committed to exploring issues that are frequently buried under societal expectations and strength, marking a significant step toward redefining what it means to be a man in Sierra Leone.
The seminar was structured into two sessions designed to balance open dialogue with holistic well-being. The first half featured a podcast and panel discussion, where participants engaged with experts who dissected the cultural and psychological barriers preventing men from seeking help. This was followed by a wellness and mindfulness session, which provided practical tools for emotional regulation and self-care.
The combination of intellectual discourse and therapeutic practice ensured that the men left not only with greater awareness but also with tangible strategies to navigate their mental health journeys in a society that often silences their struggles.
Central to the dialogue were two powerful voices that challenged the room to rethink deep narratives. Marina Terry, a prominent journalist and panellist, offered a perspective by stating that women are also part of the problem men face, particularly through their failure to understand men as mental health survivors rather than viewing them solely through the lens of superiority and invulnerability. Her remarks underscored the need for mutual empathy across genders, urging women to recognize the emotional weight that men carry in silence.
Complementing this, Buya Nabie Bangura a youth leader, health communicator and public speaker highlight the crushing weight of societal judgment that prevents men from opening up. He articulated a painful truth that resonated deeply with the audience: the majority of men simply do not have a single person they can speak to freely without the fear of being ridiculed or dismissed, a reality that perpetuates isolation and exacerbates mental distress.
To transform these conversations into tangible relief, the organizers introduced a symbolic exercise following the dialogue session. Each participant was given a balloon and a note on which to write their deepest fear. In a collective act of liberation, they bust the balloons into the air, visually and emotionally eradicating the burdens they had carried in silence.
This ritual served as a powerful metaphor for breaking free from the shackles of toxic masculinity, reinforcing the seminar’s core message that vulnerability is not a weakness but a pathway to genuine strength and social transformation. Through this innovative approach, SHE4PEACE has ignited a much-needed movement, proving that when men are given safe spaces to speak, the entire community moves closer to lasting peace and healing.
