African Empowerment & Development Association

The African Empowerment and Development Association (AEDA) is a Cameroon-based NGO Auth No: 619/2021 /DR/Cl9/SAAJP. It has embarked on a national campaign to fight mental health diseases in Cameroon by conducting a feasibility study and establishing a plan of action. It is not sufficient to identify someone as a “craze pikin”. A mental health label must be supported with empirical data confirming the origin of the problem and the necessary treatment. AEDA’s campaign will target mostly the youth population, focus on education, substance abuse, traditional practices, and effects of the civil strife in Cameroon. AEDA strongly believes that its use of therapeutic drama, focus group studies, interviews, as well as structured/unstructured questionnaires will demonstrate commitment to mental wellness.

AEDA is collaborating with The Torimiro Group (TTG) a US-based Socio-Political research organization to implement this mental healthcare campaign. The AEDA-TTG effort will include sampling target populations in Cameroon and the diaspora. In terms of the latter, the attention will be focused on Cameroonians who are in the United States. This comprehensive campaign will encourage Cameroonians to speak openly about depression and other mental health-related illnesses, and dispel widespread misperception that such revelations are a sign of weakness. The above efforts will inform our feasibility study which will then enable us to formulate and facilitate next steps. Please visit our website periodically for updates and additional information.

Together we can improve Mental Health in Cameroon!