“There was bombing in my city, it was totally destroyed.” says 14 year old Syrian Hamza Mashor about leaving home to come to Europe. This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we’re sharing Hamza’s story to shed light on the unseen trauma faced by refugees across the world. This story comes from the #onedayinmyworld project. Hamza discusses the journey from Syria: “The most difficult part was walking from Aleppo to Turkey.” Speaking of the camp, he shares: “Life in the camp is no good. It’s very dirty, all the garbage is in the street, there are many families in the street. And there are many insects there… the place is very closed, crowded, it feels like you can’t breathe there" He explains his own mental health situation: “Sometimes I have nightmares about fighting in the camp, that the people in the camp are fighting me, killing me… I feel frustrated the whole day, and sometimes I fight with some people to release the frustration I have” Speaking of the future he says: “I hope that one day I will go to Germany and settle there to be around my uncles and cousins and forget all these people and these memories that I am facing here… I hope and wish to go out from here as soon as possible and find myself on the list to move to a caravan or house and move from Moria camp.” Photo by Robin Hammond Thousands of people looking for safety from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Congo continue to risk their lives to reach Europe. In Lesvos (Lesbos), there are currently more than 1,700 people in the Mavrovouni camp also referred to as Moria 2.0 after the Moria camp burnt down in 2020. About 15,200 people are living in 24 camps on the Greek mainland. The awful conditions at the camps and arbitrary administrative situations have had a dramatic impact on their health and in particular their mental health. (fb)

"The biggest mental health issues that I think people might be dealing with today - it would be like depression from social media. And usually anything, like, anxiety from social media or the, like, online dating or something. And they're worried about like their online boyfriend cheating on them," says 14-year-old Samaya from Colorado while talking about life and mental health. During #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we’re sharing stories that remind us how deeply mental health can affect young lives. For many, being a teenager is hard. Approximately one-third of high school students report that they struggle with their mental health. This crisis demands that we listen to young people and recognize the unique challenges they face. In collaboration with Youth Empowerment Group, Witness Change spent three months interviewing 49 children across five states hearing about their mental health struggles, and the advice they have to offer. Their views will be shared with teenagers through publications, school programs and social media. If you, or someone you know, needs help, you can find resources and support at the link in our profile. Asking for help is a sign of strength, we all need support sometimes. Photos and interviews by Robin Hammond (fb)