In April 2022, KwaZulu-Natal faced one of the most devastating floods in its history. Over 500 lives were lost, homes were washed away, and families were left to rebuild from ruin. Beyond the destruction that made the headlines, another crisis was quietly unfolding: the mental toll of climate disaster.
The WEMA study seeks to uncover these hidden effects. This three-year, multi-country research project explores how extreme weather events affect the mental wellbeing of vulnerable populations, a topic rarely studied on the African continent. Our study was featured on eNCA's 'Health Beat', a segment by our media partner Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. eNCA is one of South Africa’s most trusted news channels, reaching millions of viewers each month, giving our work an incredible platform.
“The cultural interpretation of mental health in African societies is different,” explains Prof Collins Iwuji, WEMA’s Principal Investigator. “Many symptoms are often attributed to causes other than mental health itself. These cultural nuances have delayed research, but that is changing. Mental health is finally gaining the attention it deserves.”
The WEMA study is helping bridge that gap to reveal how the climate crisis affects not just our homes, but our hearts and minds.
Watch the full Bhekisisa feature to see how WEMA is uncovering the untold story of climate trauma, and what early findings reveal about resilience and recovery:
