Stories from the Hearth

Hearth Summit Thiès Session With:

Alassane Seck

Art Therapist, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de FANN
🌍 Dakar, Senegal

In Senegal, mental illness is a taboo subject. The Atelier d’EX-pression Artistique of the Fann Psychiatric Clinic in Dakar, created in 1999, offers a unique place where patients, visitors and artists can come to express themselves, relax, paint and drink tea in a warm and welcoming environment; a rarity in a society that strongly stigmatizes people suffering from mental illness. The association aims to make art a primary means of therapy, work and rehabilitation for people suffering from mental disorders in Senegal.

During Hearth Summit Thiès 2024, Tostan collaborated with the association to host an interactive session on art therapy. Learn more about the approach from arts therapist Alassane Seck and program participants.

Across the Hearth Summits, the arts play a central role as a therapeutic wellbeing practice and a lens through which we can explore social change.

Watch the session below.