When SOS Children's Villages in Tunisia launched the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Programme in City Hlel in December 2025, we knew we were responding to a real need. What we did not fully anticipate was how quickly children, families, schools and community members would embrace the initiative, reminding us why mental health support matters so much.
We started with a simple belief: every child and young person needs to be heard, understood and supported.
We recruited three psychologists who began working directly with children, young people, parents, schools and community stakeholders. Rather than focusing only on individual counselling, we wanted to build a comprehensive support system around each child.
Over the past months, 120 beneficiaries received a range of services, including psychological assessments, counselling sessions, family consultations, school follow-ups and referrals to specialised services when needed.
One of the most valuable lessons we have learned is that children cannot be understood in isolation. Their well-being is closely connected to their family environment, school experience and the community around them. This is why our work extends beyond the psychologist's office.
We spend time in schools, meeting teachers and observing children in their daily environment. We work closely with parents to strengthen positive parenting practices and help them better understand their children's emotional and behavioural needs. We also collaborate with health services, child protection authorities and our Family Strengthening Programme to ensure that psychological support goes hand in hand with social and economic support.
Throughout the implementation of the programme, we adopted different approaches to engage children and families. Creative activities such as drawing, painting and artistic expression proved particularly effective. For many children, art became a language through which they could express emotions that were difficult to put into words. Motivational and systemic approaches helped families become active partners in the change process rather than passive recipients of support.
Although the programme is still in its early stages, the changes we have witnessed are encouraging.
Children are showing greater self-confidence, better emotional regulation, improved social interaction and increased motivation to learn. Parents are becoming more engaged and more open to discussing mental health. Schools are increasingly recognising the value of psychosocial support and collaborating with us to better support students. Across the community, conversations about mental health are becoming easier, and stigma is gradually decreasing.
Some results can be measured through numbers: 35 psychological assessments conducted, 24 referrals to specialised services, 14 school and preschool visits, and 10 child protection cases addressed. Yet the most meaningful results are often less visible. They are reflected in a child who begins participating in class again, a parent who learns how to better support their child, or a family that starts communicating in healthier ways.
This experience has reinforced our conviction that mental health is not a luxury service. It is an essential investment in children's development and protection. Early intervention can prevent difficulties from becoming more severe, while family involvement remains one of the strongest predictors of lasting positive change.
Of course, challenges remain. The demand for psychological support continues to grow, and raising awareness about mental health requires continuous effort. However, these challenges also confirm the relevance and necessity of this work.
As we look ahead, we hope to strengthen the integration between mental health services and family strengthening interventions, continue building the capacities of professionals, and expand this model to other programmes in Tunisia.
The experience of City Hlel has shown us that when children, families, schools and communities work together, positive change becomes possible. Every child must have the opportunity not only to survive but to thrive. Through mental health and psychosocial support, we are helping make that a reality.