A community-based programme is offering mental health support to adolescents and young people in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.
The initiative, run by the non-profit organisation Tiko, provides psychosocial support to young people aged 15 to 24 through group therapy sessions and individual counselling referrals.
“Mental health is still viewed as something ‘foreign’ in many parts of the community,” says Olga Rikhotso, Tiko’s ecosystems manager for Johannesburg. “Yet it affects both girls and boys and sits at the centre of many social challenges we see.”
The organisation runs HIV, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence programmes in seven African countries.
Tiko reintroduced its psychosocial support programme in Johannesburg in June 2025.
“Orange Farm was identified as a priority area due to high levels of depression, school dropout and suicide risk among adolescents,” explains Rikhotso.
Orange Farm secondary schools and community spaces have become key sites for the programme, which hosts sessions once a week over a six-week period. The sessions focus on identifying triggers of depression, building emotional resilience and equipping participants with practical tools to manage stress and anxiety. Sessions are facilitated by trained mental health professionals.
Spotting mental stress
Nineteen-year-old Bohlale Phakathi from Drieziek 3 in Orange Farm says the programme helped her to recognise and address her depression after repeating Grade 10.
“After failing Grade 10 in 2024, my self-esteem dropped. I lost hope and had negative thoughts about school,” she says. “I didn’t even realise that I was depressed.”
Phakathi joined the programme after a local youth leader arranged mental health screenings in the community. She attended weekly sessions in a private home-based space for five weeks.
“I learned how to manage stress and work smarter at school.”
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Single mom, 22-year-old Mmathapelo Molakeng from Drieziek 3, found out about Tiko through a friend who noticed that she was overwhelmed, stressed and anxious.
“I was struggling to cope with daily life,” she tells Health-e News. “I lost my father in 2022, but years later, I realised I needed mental health support and correct coping tools. I enrolled with Tiko for mental health support.”
Community-based support and incentives
Young people enrolled in the programme receive R15 vouchers for each session they attend and for mental health screening. The vouchers accumulate over the six weeks and can be redeemed at Tiko-registered retail stores.
“With the accumulated amount, young people are able to buy basic toiletries like sanitary pads, soap and lotion,” Rikhotso says. “Some choose to celebrate completing the programme by buying snacks. The vouchers motivate them to attend sessions and complete the programme.”
The programme is delivered through partnerships with Orange Farm schools, local youth leaders and community-based organisations.
“This programme shows that when mental health support is brought into the community, young people are willing to engage,” Rikhotso says. “They just need to feel safe and supported.” – Health-e News
