Young women aged 20 to 24 in Dass Local Government Area, Bauchi State, have enrolled in Interpersonal Growth Therapy sessions to support their mental health.
The therapy is implemented by Plan International, a non-governmental organization (NGO), with funding from Global Affairs Canada.
At a session on Thursday, the participants disclosed that challenges such as divorce, heartbreak, loss of parents, loss of a child, infertility, and adjustment to new environments had contributed to their mental health struggles.
Speaking with NAN, one of the participants, Ms. Hasiya Aliyu, said the depression began after she lost both parents within a six-month period.
“I began to experience a different mood in my life. I felt my world had come to an end when I lost my parents within six months at different times.
“I completely withdrew from any form of engagement with people,” she said.
Another participant, 24-year-old Ms. Fatima Jibrin, said she was devastated after her fiancé of seven years ended their relationship and married another woman.
“This made me withdraw from all male-female relationships for four years. It was when I heard about the sessions that I decided to join.
“It was during the sessions that I realized I was depressed and needed counseling. We meet once every week and share our experiences.
“Our facilitator handled the sessions very well, and now I have become an advocate, referring other girls and young women facing emotional challenges,” she said.
Mr. Mohammed Nasir, Senior Project Coordinator at Plan International, said the therapy sessions were introduced four years ago in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs).
He said the engagement was conducted under the organization’s Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASPIRE) project.
He listed the benefiting LGAs as including Bauchi, Dass, Toro, Ningi, Jama’are, Darazo, Misau, Katagum, and Gamawa, among others.
Nasir explained that each group undergoes an eight-week cohort using structured modules designed to help participants interact freely and with confidence.
He said a facilitator was assigned to support participants in addressing personal challenges.
He added that the initiative aimed to improve emotional wellbeing and build resilience among young women in the state.
