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Hamdi Issa: Championing Health Systems and Mental Health Advocacy.
Hamdi is a Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer with a focus on Health Systems. She is based in Hargeisa, Somaliland.
The team at United for Global Mental Health are based around the globe and are diverse, passionate and knowledgeable individuals colleagues who bring a range of skills and experience to the fight to make sure mental health support is accessible to everyone, everywhere without stigma or restrictions. Find out a little bit more from some of our team about working in global mental health.
Why did you want to join UnitedGMH?
I had been working at the national level for a while and witnessed the wedge between global knowledge ecosystems and the central role of national actors, holding back health system change. Transforming global mental health care will need a conscious shift in power dynamics and I was drawn to UnitedGMH because it was doing things differently. The organisation is intentional in giving up space for national partners to spearhead locally driven ideas for sustainable change.
What have you most enjoyed since you joined?
I love learning from national partners and local actors and am inspired by the conversations with the individuals and communities that have led grassroot movements. This work is creating spaces for people with lived experience, upending cultural norms to develop inclusive and compassionate language for mental health and mobilising communities to hold their governments accountable in financing mental health services.
What is the most challenging part of your role?
Advocacy involves changing minds and often challenging deep rooted beliefs. This is neither simple nor quick. Trying to achieve systemic change is bigger than any one individual, so it can be emotionally exhausting. Beyond passion, advocacy requires consistency and finding new ways to remain positive.
What advice would you give others wanting to work in global mental health?
Global mental health isn’t this ‘one thing’ that we have to manage in our work and then go home at the end of the day. It is intimately connected to our every day and how we show up in the world. You need to be open, be informed, be inclusive, be compassionate and be ready to take care of yourself too.