Every day, schools in township communities like Kagiso are doing their best under overwhelming conditions. Educators are exhausted, emotionally depleted, and expected to carry more than just academic responsibilities. Learners arrive at school carrying invisible burdens — trauma, neglect, hunger, instability — with very little emotional support to process what they’re going through.

Schools want to do better. They want to see their learners thrive and their educators feel supported again. But without structured mental health programmes, psycho-social support, and wellness interventions, schools are often left reacting to crises instead of preventing them.

I see this reality daily. And I also see what becomes possible when mental well-being is placed at the centre of education.