Major grant secured to support the mental health of young people in Niger and Chad

Dr Margaret Ebubedike, a Research Fellow in International Education at the Faculty of WELS, The Open University (OU), has secured a £172,000 funding award from the Academy of Medical Services to lead a transformative research initiative. The project aims to address the urgent mental health needs of children and young people in Niger and Chad, whose lives have been profoundly disrupted by the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency.

The new initiative, titled “The ‘ART’ of Finding Hope: Indigenous Art Methods (I AM)”, seeks to provide culturally relevant mental health support by building on previous research funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) from 2021 to 2023. That earlier work revealed that many existing mental health and education interventions in the region failed to resonate with the lived realities and cultural backgrounds of traumatised children.

In response, the I AM project places Indigenous art practices at the core of its methodology, adopting a participatory approach shaped by direct input from local communities, including children. This ensures that interventions honour local cultural identities and lived experiences.

The project brings together a transdisciplinary, international team comprising UK-based researchers, indigenous artists, community educators, and the children and young people of Niger and Chad. Collaboration is central to the project’s ethos, viewing local communities as participants and co-creators, actively shaping workshops and resources tailored to their unique needs.

UK researchers will contribute technical expertise and help disseminate the project’s findings globally through peer-reviewed publications and policy engagement. The project’s outcomes are designed to support several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16).

The I AM project aims to foster resilience and hope among children through culturally rooted art workshops, develop a guidebook for broader application in similar contexts, and help conflict-affected youth re-engage with education.

Dr Margaret Ebubedike commented:

“This work is about more than recovery – it’s about hope, dignity, and giving children the tools to reclaim their futures in ways that honour who they are, whilst respecting their unique experiences.”

Through initiatives like I AM, the OU continues to demonstrate its commitment to collaborative research that actively involves those most affected by the issues under study, ensuring that its work delivers real-world impact for communities around the globe.