A Mental Health Champion in Her School: Merima’s Story

At her school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 14-year-old Merima Arebo is not only a top student in her 5th grade class, but an admired leader among her peers with an important message. Every other Friday during the school’s flag-raising ceremony, she addresses her schoolmates with critical information and guidance about mental health. 

Participating in a pilot program designed and implemented in partnership between Grassroot Soccer (GRS) and the Development Expertise Center (DEC) called Meharebe+ was the experience that inspired this drive in Merima.

Meharebe+ integrates mental health support content from GRS’s MindSKILLZ curriculum within DEC’s existing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education. The program is the first of its kind in Ethiopia and was designed by GRS and DEC in response to the increasing call from students, educators, and other stakeholders to address adolescent mental health alongside SRH education in Addis Ababa public schools.

Mental health has become a growing concern in Ethiopia, particularly among youth. Factors such as social media, conflict, and economic hardship within families have contributed to rising stress levels. Anxiety and depression are among the most common mental health issues for young people, and school administrators have also reported cases of suicidal thoughts among some students.

Merima was one of 850 students who graduated from the Meharebe+ pilot intervention, conducted across seven public schools in Addis Ababa between November 2024 and June 2025. 

The impact of the program on Merima’s mental well-being has been transformative, and Merima attributes her academic success in part to the mental health training she received from the program.  

“I was initially confused when I started attending the sessions,” she said, “but I got hooked with its fun-based activities and the interesting topics that offer all the critical tools I needed to manage my mental health.”

“When the power goes out, which often happens during exam time, I used to get really stressed and scared to sleep. But now, I even dance when it’s dark. It doesn’t scare me anymore,” she added.

Merima shares what she learned not only at school with her peers but also at home with her family. “Stress affects everyone, and I want my parents to also build the skills to cope with stress, especially the deep breathing technique,” she explained.  

Merima also shared her message with an audience of government officials, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and youth representatives at a Mental Health Summit organized by GRS and DEC in May 2025. The event highlighted the success of the Meharebe+ program and reinforced the urgent need to integrate mental health into the broader framework of adolescent well-being in Ethiopia – a message that Merima echoed in her remarks.

When school reopens in September, Merima plans to take on the role of peer leader, mentoring and supporting her schoolmates and sharing with them the information and techniques she learned from Meharebe+, which she proudly remembers by heart. 

“I will use every opportunity to encourage my schoolmates to participate in the Meharebe+ intervention,” she said. “They will benefit a lot.”