Youthing & The University of Embu Mental Health Event

When Youthing Met the University of Embu
Last weekend honestly felt like one of those moments you don’t fully appreciate until you’re on your way home thinking about it.
When Youthing arrived at the University of Embu Mental Health Club, it didn’t feel like two organizations meeting. It felt like friends who just hadn’t met yet.
From the moment they stepped onto campus, the reception was warm and natural. No awkward energy. No forced smiles. Just genuine excitement and curiosity about each other. You could tell everyone wanted to be there.

Starting With Ourselves
We began with something simple but surprisingly deep. We were asked to share one thing we’d like to change about ourselves, and three things we love about ourselves.
At first, people laughed nervously. It’s easier to joke than to be honest. But slowly, the room softened. Some talked about overthinking. Others mentioned procrastination, anger, fear of failure. And then came the good parts being resilient, being loyal, being hardworking, being kind.
It felt powerful hearing people speak positively about themselves without downplaying it. For once, no one said, “It’s not a big deal.” We just owned it.

The Hard Conversation
Later, we talked about the ongoing issue of the Russian man who filmed several women without their consent. The conversation was intense. While he is reportedly still free in Russia, Ghana has charged him and made it clear that if he ever steps into Ghana, he’ll face their laws and even risk losing his passport.
That discussion hit differently. We talked about consent, safety, and how unfair it feels when justice looks different depending on where you are. It wasn’t just about one man. It was about women feeling unsafe. It was about accountability. It was about how situations like that affect mental health more than people realize.
You could feel that everyone cared. It wasn’t just noise it was real concern.

Mental Health and Student Leadership
As more students filled the hall, those running for positions on the school board shared their manifestos. Surprisingly, they all said something similar: we are neglecting mental health.
Hearing student leaders openly talk about depression and suicide on campus was sobering. It’s one thing to hear statistics online. It’s another to hear it in a room full of your peers.
It reminded us why the Mental Health Club even exists in the first place.

Games, Laughter, and a Little Chaos
After the serious talks, we needed energy and we got it.
Charades had people acting out the most dramatic scenes. “Kenya at Fifty” turned competitive very fast. Somehow, the group that called themselves Youthing ended up winning and of course they made sure everyone knew it.
Then we played Mafia (the tech version). At first, most of us were confused. Who is lying? Who do you trust? Why is everyone looking suspicious? But in the middle of the chaos, I realized something it’s okay not to understand everything immediately. And sometimes, trusting people you just met isn’t as scary as it seems.

The Balloon Moment
If I had to pick the most meaningful part of the day, it would be the balloons.
We each wrote something we wanted to let go of fear, guilt, pressure, heartbreak, anxiety on a balloon. Then we popped them.
It sounds simple. But when all those balloons started bursting one after the other, it felt symbolic. Like we were choosing, even if just for that moment, not to carry certain weights anymore.

Game Night and Real Bonding
Later that evening, Youthing held a game night with the Embu team. That’s when things became even more real. The official program was over, so everyone relaxed.
There was dancing (some good, some questionable). There was singing loud singing. There was a lot of food. Conversations got deeper. Jokes got sillier. At some point, it didn’t feel like a collaboration anymore. It felt like family.

Rain at G Falls
Sunday morning, we went to G Falls. The place was beautiful, but what made it special was the energy.
The ladies were completely themselves laughing loudly, playing freely, not caring about appearances. The guys just stood there at some point, watching and laughing too. It was wholesome.
Then the rain started pouring.
Instead of running, we stayed. We played in it. We slipped, we screamed, we laughed. It felt like we were kids again.
At one point, the car got stuck in the mud. It looked dramatic for a second. But the guys stepped out immediately and pushed while everyone else cheered and laughed. Mud everywhere. But eventually, the car moved.
Teamwork at its finest.

Going Home
When it was time to say goodbye, it felt too soon. There’s always that quiet moment before everyone leaves when you realize something special happened.
We didn’t just attend an event.
We connected.
We had hard conversations.
We laughed until we were tired.

We stood in the rain.
And somehow, through all of that, our mental health felt a little lighter.
A good time was definitely had. But more than that, something meaningful was built and I don’t think any of us will forget it anytime soon.