Professional Bio
Sitawa Wafula is a Senior Fellow with the Aspen Institute’s Global Innovators - and a pioneering mental health advocate with over 15 years of experience, dedicated to addressing mental health disparities for Africans across the globe.
Her advocacy is rooted in her personal journey with epilepsy and bipolar disorder, which inspired her award-winning blog and motivated her to launch Kenya’s first mental health support line, serving 11,000 individuals in its first year. She also established a mental health academy focused on nurturing the next generation of African mental health champions, training 30 students from 8 African countries and the diaspora.
Sitawa has led a youth mental health program in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, utilizing blogging as a tool for raising awareness about mental health challenges. She has also undertaken the “Akili ni Mali” storytelling tour across various counties in Kenya and states in Nigeria, leveraging narratives to raise awareness about mental health and reduce stigma.
Sitawa has led a youth mental health program in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, utilizing blogging as a tool for raising awareness about mental health challenges. She has also undertaken the “Akili ni Mali” storytelling tour across various counties in Kenya and states in Nigeria, leveraging narratives to raise awareness about mental health and reduce stigma.
Her commitment to mental health extends to her role as a contributor to the Kenyan Mental Health Policy 2015-2030, which provides a comprehensive framework for improving mental health care in Kenya.
As a researcher, Sitawa has explored topics such as addiction, belonging, loneliness, and isolation, examining how these factors impact mental health outcomes. Her work focuses on understanding these issues to inform culturally relevant mental health solutions and foster belonging as a way to address social and emotional challenges.
As a freelance columnist, Sitawa addresses mental health issues across Africa and the diaspora in publications such as The Star, Daily Nation, Mail & Guardian, NPR, and PennLive. Her writings explore topics such as youth mental health, the stigma surrounding mental illness, and the need for culturally relevant mental health services, reflecting her dedication to fostering dialogue and understanding.
Her thought leadership has earned her numerous accolades, including the BET Global Good and Google Africa Connected Awards. Sitawa has shared her insights on prestigious platforms such as TED and the UN General Assembly, focusing on youth mental health, mental health disparities, and solutions for diverse groups, including youth and women.
Beyond her advocacy work, Sitawa is an avid poet and blogger, a plant lover with 40 house plants, and enjoys theatre and experimenting with new recipes.
