Resources for African Youth During Suicide Prevention Month

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September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time when communities around the world come together to recognize that mental health struggles are real, but help is always available. For young African Americans in Philadelphia and African youth living across the continent, knowing where to turn during tough times can save lives. No matter what you’re going through, you are not alone, and support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If there is immediate danger, contact local emergency services or the nearest emergency department first, and use the crisis options below for urgent support 24/7.

If You Need Help Right Now

United States & Philadelphia

Africa

For other African countries not listed, check with trusted national NGOs or directories for current helpline numbers, as services may vary by location.

What Suicide Prevention Month Means

September focuses on three key goals: recognizing warning signs early, reducing the shame around asking for help, and connecting people with life-saving support. Suicide affects many families across our communities, but it is preventable when people have access to the right care and support.

Warning signs can include talking about feeling hopeless, withdrawing from friends and activities, changes in sleep or eating, giving away possessions, or expressing thoughts about death. These signs mean it’s time to reach out for help or encourage someone else to do so.

The month reminds us that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Mental health challenges are medical conditions that deserve treatment, just like any physical illness.

How to Support a Friend

If you’re worried about someone, here are simple steps that can make a difference:

Ask directly. Say something like “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?” or “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” Being direct shows you care and aren’t afraid to talk about it.
Listen without judgment. Let them share their feelings without trying to fix everything or dismissing their pain. Sometimes just being heard helps.
Help them connect to professional support. Offer to help them call a crisis line, go with them to a counselor, or connect with trusted adults like family members, teachers, or community leaders.
Don’t promise to keep suicidal thoughts a secret. Let them know you care too much to stay silent if their life is in danger. Getting help is more important than keeping secrets.
Stay connected. Check in regularly and remind them they matter to you and the community.

Philadelphia & U.S. Ongoing Support

Crisis and Immediate Support

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7 confidential support through phone calls, texts, or online chat. When you contact 988 from Philadelphia, you connect directly to the Philadelphia Crisis Line, which can send mobile crisis teams to provide in-person support when needed.

Same-Day Mental Health Care

HealthyMindsPhilly Walk-In Clinic offers same-day mental health services for adults 18 and over at 3125 N Broad Street, open daily 11am-6pm. Services include mental health assessment, crisis support, medication assistance, and connections to ongoing care, regardless of insurance or ability to pay.

Youth-Focused Resources

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Youth Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Research Center provides specialized care for young people with depression and suicide risk. Their goal is zero youth suicides, and they offer both treatment and educational resources for families.

Culturally Responsive Support for Young People of Color

The Steve Fund focuses specifically on the mental health needs of young people of color. Beyond the Crisis Text Line keyword STEVE, they offer workshops, educational programs, and resources designed to address unique cultural factors affecting mental health in communities of color.
Therapy for Black Girls provides a directory of Black women therapists, plus podcasts, blogs, and community resources focused on mental wellness for Black women and girls.
BEAM: Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective removes barriers to emotional healthcare for Black communities through education, training, advocacy, and creative arts. They focus on healing justice approaches that honor cultural strengths.

Financial Support for Therapy

The Loveland Foundation Therapy Fund provides financial assistance for therapy sessions for Black women and some nonbinary individuals who cannot afford mental health services.

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Africa Ongoing Support

South Africa

SADAG (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) operates the only 24-hour suicide crisis helplines in South Africa. Beyond crisis support at 0800 567 567, they provide counseling, education, support groups, and help with emergency hospital admissions for at-risk individuals. They answer over 400 calls daily and maintain SMS support services.

Kenya

Befrienders Kenya offers emotional support and suicide prevention services through their helpline +254-722-178-177 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm). They provide phone, SMS, and WhatsApp support, plus drop-in services at Pima House, 4th Floor, Flat 41, Nairobi West. Additional numbers include +254-793-594-849 and +254-754-580-252.

Nigeria

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) is a youth-led organization providing crisis support at 0800 800 2000 (24/7). MANI has directly supported over 45,000 people, 70% between ages 18-25, and offers training, workshops, and online community support.

Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) operates a 24-hour helpline at 0909 991 6463 with over 130 mental health professionals across Nigeria’s 36 states. They provide services in multiple languages, including a Hausa-language line at 0814 224 1007.

Directory Approach for Other Countries

For countries not listed above, young people should check with national mental health organizations, NGOs, or trusted community directories for current helpline numbers. Services and phone numbers can change, so it’s important to verify locally or through reliable online directories like findahelpline.com.

Practical Self-Help and Protection

Create a safety plan: Write down warning signs you notice in yourself, coping strategies that help, people you can call, and ways to make your environment safer during difficult times.
Remove immediate risks: If you’re having thoughts of self-harm, remove or secure items that could be used to hurt yourself. Ask trusted friends or family to help with this.
Build your support network: Identify adults you trust – family members, teachers, counselors, faith leaders, or community mentors. Having several people to turn to means you always have options.
Practice daily coping skills: This might include deep breathing, physical exercise, creative activities, prayer or meditation, or spending time in nature. What works is different for everyone.
Stay connected to your community: Isolation makes everything harder. Even when it’s difficult, try to maintain connections with friends, family, or community groups.

For Schools, Colleges, and Faith or Youth Groups

Educational and community organizations play a crucial role in suicide prevention. Effective programs should partner with youth-of-color organizations and use evidence-based prevention frameworks rather than one-time presentations.

Key elements include training staff to recognize warning signs, creating supportive environments where young people feel comfortable seeking help, and establishing clear referral processes to professional services. Faith communities can integrate mental health awareness into their ministry while maintaining spiritual support.

Programs should avoid graphic details about suicide methods and instead focus on building protective factors like connection, hope, and help-seeking skills.

Global Context for African Youth

The World Health Organization’s LIVE: LIFE initiative outlines four proven suicide prevention strategies: Limiting access to means of suicide, Interacting with media for responsible reporting, Valuing life skills in young people, and Early identification and support.

UNICEF and WHO’s Joint Programme on Mental Health is currently working to scale youth mental health promotion and care in 13 countries, including Côte d’Ivoire and Mozambique in Africa. Over 6 million young people have been reached with prevention programs, though access and policies still vary significantly across the continent.

While progress is being made, many African countries still face challenges in mental health infrastructure and trained professionals. This makes community support, peer networks, and family involvement especially important for young people’s wellbeing.

Building Hope and Resilience

Recovery and healing are possible. Many people who have struggled with suicidal thoughts go on to live fulfilling lives with proper support and treatment. Mental health conditions are treatable, and crisis feelings do pass with time and help.

Your cultural background, family connections, and community ties are sources of strength, not barriers to getting help. Many mental health organizations now recognize the importance of culturally responsive care that honors your identity and experiences.

Remember that asking for help demonstrates courage and wisdom. In many African cultures, seeking guidance from elders and community is a traditional strength. Professional mental health support is simply another form of community care.

Take Action Today

If you or someone you know is struggling, don’t wait for things to get worse. Save these crisis numbers in your phone now:

U.S.: 988 or text STEVE to 741741
South Africa: 0800 567 567
Kenya: +254-722-178-177
Nigeria: 0800 800 2000 or 0909 991 6463

Share this article with friends, family, and community members. Sometimes just knowing these resources exist can be lifesaving for someone who needs them.

Connect with a trusted adult today – whether that’s a parent, teacher, counselor, faith leader, or community mentor. Building these relationships before crisis hits makes it easier to reach out when you need support.

Help is available, healing is possible, and seeking support is an act of courage and care. You matter, your life has value, and your community is stronger with you in it. Take the step to reach out – today can be the beginning of something better.

Anand Subramanian is a freelance photographer and content writer based out of Tamil Nadu, India. Having a background in Engineering always made him curious about life on the other side of the spectrum. He leapt forward towards the Photography life and never looked back. Specializing in Documentary and Portrait photography gave him an up-close and personal view into the complexities of human beings and those experiences helped him branch out from visual to words. Today he is mentoring passionate photographers and writing about the different dimensions of the art world.