Stories from the Hearth

Interview With:

Fatou Dieye Fall

Founder, Safe Open Space
🌍 Dakar, Senegal

In this interview, Fatou Dieye Fall, Founder of Safe Open Space, tells us about her journey with mental health and Safe Open Space, the first active listening platform in Senegal, which she created in 2019. Safe Open Space offers spaces where every young person can talk freely about their mental health, without fear of judgment.

During Hearth Summit Thiès 2024, changemakers addressed the growing mental health challenges among African youth and explored community solutions through sessions and workshops. A particularly impactful workshop taught changemakers skills on how to express their emotions and listen to others with empathy, promoting psychological safety and connection.

Fatou emphasizes the importance of intergenerational dialogue and the interest in destigmatizing mental health issues in the African context, including the role played by the family in this process.

The regional summits hosted by Tostan in Thiès aim to encourage youth engagement and intergenerational dialogue to address the challenges facing our communities.

Watch the interview below.