Teletherapy counselling services offered by NGO
The project within the Ma’at Institute offers African-Centred psychosocial support services.
“LET us all be well and live a good quality life,” says Nomfundo Buthelezi, project administrator and marketing officer at the Ma’at Institute Psychosocial Support Internship Project (MIPSIP).
Based at UKZN and established during the Covid-19 pandemic, the project offers free mental health support services to those who cannot afford them.
How it started
“We started in response to the pandemic, as a pilot project to help people heal. We used teletherapy to offer free services to frontline workers and others, to help with mental health support,” says Buthelezi.
The organisation is hosted by the School of Applied Human Sciences, and the therapists are registered with professional regulatory bodies. The multi-disciplinary team of 20 therapists comprises counsellors, psychologists and social workers who offer services to individuals, families, schools, and churches.
ALSO READ: Fire destroys family’s hope for joyous Christmas
What is on offer?
The MIPSIP prioritises a balance of Western psychotherapy and African-centred philosophies. The project subscribes to the principles of Ubuntu and Ma’at. Ubuntu is a term meaning ‘humanity’ in the Nguni languages and refers to behaviour that benefits others. Ma’at was an ancient Egyptian religion that championed truth, justice, balance and order.
“We use relatable ways to speak to people and African-centred methodologies to deal with mental health. We don’t dismiss beliefs but try to help them within their beliefs. We work within their space and understanding; we don’t want to take away what they know and believe, but we want to provide help. So, we use a balance of the two – the Western and the African – and fuse them together,” says Buthelezi.
Khanyiso Mthetwa, marketing officer intern says, “We do community outreach programs, connect with people, promote these specific ideologies and African ways of thinking. We promote mental health through an Afrocentric approach.”
The MIPSIP develops psychotherapy professionals and offers an internship program to new graduates and practical training to final-year students.
ALSO READ: Highway Mail 9 December 2022
Why is it needed?
Buthelezi says her background is in public policy and developmental studies, and she witnessed the challenges faced by the people in her previous government position.
She says, “You get to see that life is hard for people. I’m a social scientist, so there’s an interlink for me. I saw the problems there, and now the Ma’at Institute is here with the solutions. We need to take care of our mental health in the same way that we do our physical health, as they are equally important. We want you to prosper wherever you are.”
Mthetwa feels that working in the mental health sector has changed his perspective.
“As an African person, mental health is a taboo topic. Being part of an organisation like this is a way for me to be able to promote it to other African people. I’m a person who likes to help people, and the best way to help someone is to make sure their mental health is in the right condition,” he says.
The project continues to offer teletherapy counselling for those who cannot attend in-person sessions. After Mental Health Awareness Month was celebrated in October, the MIPSIP team encourages the public to contact them should they need free psychosocial support.
To find out more, call 0800 800 019, WhatsApp 060 548 9137, email maat@ukzn.ac.zn, or go to their pages on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram: Ma’at UKZN.
