The second day of the Sawa Young Leaders Conference brought together more than sixty young leaders, community members, and partner organisations for an afternoon dedicated to translating dialogue into action. The session was intentionally designed to move beyond conversation, giving participants practical tools, creative spaces, and clear pathways to turn ideas into locally grounded initiatives.
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The afternoon opened with a brief orientation that set a warm and safe tone for engagement. Participants then moved through a series of optional stations that catered to different learning styles. Creative wellbeing spaces—guided journaling, mindful colouring, DIY envelope crafting led by Loreen Mwende, and shading-plus-storytelling facilitated by Precious Wangu—offered quiet moments for reflection and gentle conversation. These stations became pockets of calm where participants expressed emotions, shared personal experiences, and connected more deeply with peers.
At the same time, practical sessions anchored the outreach in skill building. Led by Rayler Mong’are, participants practiced Inner Strengths micro-actions through small role-plays, exploring simple ways to support peers during moments of distress. Short demonstrations on Mental Health First Aid comforts and grounding exercises added an accessible layer of physical and emotional wellbeing tools that participants could carry back to their communities.
A key component of the afternoon was the collaborative resource-mapping activity. Working in small groups, participants identified community needs and linked them to existing services and partners. Several teams surfaced immediate, realistic ideas for small pilots and outreach initiatives.
As the session closed, participants gathered around the commitment board to pin their micro-actions—ranging from peer check-ins to community discussions and awareness drives. These commitments, paired with new friendships and emerging collaborations, strengthened the foundation of the growing Eastern Africa Youth Mental Health Network.
Feedback highlighted appreciation for the balance of creativity and practicality, the safety measures in place, and the warmth of the facilitators. While time for resource mapping could be extended in future editions, the outreach afternoon successfully channelled conference energy into tangible next steps and community-owned plans.