Heal by Hair: hairdressing promoting mental health among African women

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Extract from the article: From 19 to 25 October, Lomé is hosting the Heal by Hair programme, an initiative that aims to enable hairdressers to recognise the early signs of mental health issues and, where necessary, refer people to mental health experts.

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From 19 to 25 October, Lomé is hosting the Heal by Hair programme, an initiative that aims to enable hairdressers to recognise the early signs of mental health issues and, where necessary, refer people to mental health experts.

This fifth edition is organised by the Ministry of Health, Public Hygiene, Universal Health Coverage and Insurance in partnership with the University of Lomé. The Heal by Hair programme, run by the Bluemind Foundation, will train 400 hairdressers as mental health ambassadors. Their mission: to transform hair salons into places of refuge where people can be listened to, receive prevention and guidance. It is supported by the Innovation Fund for Development (FID) and is in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO): to make mental health accessible, community-based and integrated into primary care.

Heal by hair: an innovative local solution

Set up in Lomé, the Heal by hair programme is based on a simple yet powerful idea: training hairdressers to be mental health ambassadors. Throughout Africa, hair salons are everyday places where women feel comfortable confiding in each other. By equipping them with tools for listening and early detection, hairdressers become a first line of prevention: they know how to recognise the signs of distress, offer a sympathetic ear and refer people to appropriate care.

The training of 400 hairdressers will be provided by a team of African and international psychiatrists, psychologists and experts, with six months of follow-up. A rigorous scientific impact assessment will be carried out by international and national researchers, including Dr Sonia Kanekatoua (CHU Campus) and Ms Barma Marodégueba Kutolbena, senior lecturer (University of Lomé).

By welcoming and supporting this initiative, Togo is confirming its role as an African pioneer in community mental health. With the next stage planned for Kara in July 2026, the Bluemind Foundation aims to support 1 million Togolese women by the end of 2026, including 230,000 direct beneficiaries in the Kara, Centrale and Savanes regions.

Mental health in Africa: a public health emergency and a major economic issue

According to the WHO, nearly 10% of the African population currently suffers from mental disorders, often in silence and without access to appropriate care. Recent studies show that the loss of productivity linked to depression and anxiety costs an average of USD 1,000 to USD 2,000 per person per year in low- and middle-income countries. These same studies reveal that, based on a conservative estimate of £1,500 per person per year for Africa and an affected population of 155 million people, depression and anxiety could cost the African economy approximately £232.5 billion per year in terms of lost productivity and associated costs.

Taking into account Africa's nominal gross domestic product (GDP), according to these sources, depression and anxiety represent an estimated economic cost of 398 billion CFA francs per year (more than USD 600 million), equivalent to the education of one million children or food security for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable families.

With the next stage planned for Kara in July 2026, the Bluemind Foundation aims to support 1 million Togolese women by the end of 2026, including 230,000 direct beneficiaries in the Kara, Centrale and Savanes regions.

Jean ELI