2024: What you missed

The 2024 Shamiri Summit, themed “The Light Within” was our second annual Summit and the largest and most impactful event to-date. The Summit brought together over 250 in-person guests, 700+ online participants, and 30+ speakers over two days of vibrant exchange at the Safari Park Hotel & Casino. Each year, the Shamiri Summit explores innovative solutions to pressing global challenges. In 2024 we investigated the question of how to foster resilience, hope, and optimism in a world filled with stressors from climate change and political unrest to economic instability.

On day one, we previewed our annual youth mental health survey, one of the largest  Kenyan youth mental health surveys building on data from 2023. We shared findings from over 1,300 Kenyan youth aged 12 - 24 across eight counties. Key highlights included:

• 37% of adolescents report moderate to severe anxiety and depression with 61% indicating moderate to severe PTSD symptoms and 41% experiencing low well-being.

• Urban counties, particularly Nairobi and Kiambu, report higher rates of depression and anxiety.

• Males tend to report more anxiety and depression compared to females.

• Older students, particularly in Form Four, and students from large towns, report higher mental health issues.  

• Adolescents in single-parent homes or larger towns report elevated PTSD levels, pointing to the impact of family and community settings on mental health.

These findings underscore the pressing need for fostering resilient individuals and communities to enable youth to thrive.  

Key stakeholders at the summit shared in conversation on the critical need to continue to invest in scalable, evidence-based mental health programs like Shamiri’s and work together across sectors to ensure every young person can thrive.