A Man must cry

 A Man Must Cry is a community-based mental health movement born out of lived experience. Founded in 2025 by James Nyabera a passionate mental health advocate to promote men’s emotional well-being and mental health support in Africa. We are mental health survivors and storytellers who exist to challenge the harmful cultural norms that equate masculinity with emotional silence, instead creating safe spaces where men and boys can openly express vulnerability without stigma. 

To create safe, stigma-free spaces and interventions that support men’s emotional well-being, using community engagement, education, and advocacy to build a culture of empathy and healing.

A world where men are free to express emotions, seek help without judgment, and live mentally healthy.

 Break stigma, build emotional literacy, and encourage open dialogue around mental well-being. 

 Promote mental health awareness through walks, peer-led sessions, creative advocacy, and safe spaces for men and youth.  While our primary focus is on men’s mental health, we work with women, youth, and allies to build a supportive, inclusive environment.

We offer a monthly Healing Walk, which is a safe and reflective space where participants engage in guided conversations on mental health, resilience, and community healing.

Our fathers, partners, brothers, and friends are facing a mental health crisis yet it’s rarely talked about it. Men are dying too young, and we can’t afford to stay silent. In Kenya and across Africa, men’s mental health is a silent crisis. Suicide rates among Kenyan men are three times higher than women (WHO, 2023). Depression & anxiety affect nearly 1 in 4 men, but less than 20% seek help due to stigma and lack of safe spaces. In many communities’ cultural norms teach boys to “be strong” by suppressing emotions, leading to untreated mental health challenges, strained relationships, substance abuse, and higher rates of suicide among men.

 1. Compassion – We lead with empathy and care.

2. Lived Truth – Our pain births purpose

3. Courage – We challenge harmful norms with bold, authentic conversations.

4. Inclusivity – We engage men, women, and youth in building solutions together.

5. Integrity – We are transparent and accountable in all we do.

6. Hope – We believe that healing is possible for every individual.

7. Collaboration – We rise through partnership and co-creation.

8. Sustainability – We build long-term solutions, not quick fixes

We believe that if men are given safe spaces to express themselves, access to mental health support, and encouragement from their families and communities, they will develop healthier coping strategies. This will lead to:

· Reduced stigma around mental health.

· Stronger family and community bonds.

· Lower rates of depression, substance abuse, and suicide among men.

Our Change Pathway:

Awareness → Engagement → Healing Spaces → Skills & Support → Healthier Men & Communities

 · Community dialogues and forums for men’s emotional health.

· Peer-to-peer mental health support groups.

· Suicide prevention campaigns targeting men and boys.

· Training for men, women, and youth as mental health allies.

· Awareness merchandise (e.g., A MAN MUST CRY branded t-shirts).

· Storytelling projects sharing lived experiences.

1. Men’s Mental Health Circles – Regular safe spaces where men connect, share openly, and find emotional support without judgment.

2. Just Talk to Us – A creative advocacy platform using spoken word, storytelling, and media to break the silence around men’s mental health.

3. Men’s Suicide Prevention Campaign – A grassroots movement raising awareness, offering support, and mobilizing communities year-round to prevent suicide and promote mental well-being among boys and men.

4. School & Youth Engagement Program – Interactive mental health education and mentorship for boys and young men in schools