Nairobi — In a stride towards addressing Kenya's growing mental health challenges, the Shamiri Institute, a youth-led organization that provides mental health interventions, has developed an AI-powered digital platform--ShamiriOS--that aims to reinforce mental health interventions in the country.
An annual young mental health survey by Shamiri that assessed over 1300 Kenyan youth aged 12-24 across eight counties revealed that 37 percent of adolescents report moderate to severe anxiety and depression, with 61 percent indicating moderate to severe PTSD symptoms and 41 percent experiencing low well-being.
Furthermore, adolescents, particularly older students in Form Four and students from large towns, reported higher mental health issues, thus underscoring the urgent need for effective interventions, especially by leveraging technology.
According to the Shamiri Director of Technology, Shadrack Lilian, the Shamiri OS will serve different user groups in operations, both clinical and supply chain, through operation management and payment, clinical care, and management.
The tool also aims to empower patients through low-touch therapy intervention, communication between patients and therapists, and assessments.
"ShamiriAI harnesses the power of AI-driven tools to elevate the effectiveness of therapists and therapies alike. By leveraging Shamiri's extensive dataset, it provides personalized, data-informed mental health care that can be scaled to meet the needs of individuals across diverse communities," he stated.
Half of Kenya's population is 19 years or younger, with 42 percent having access to the internet and 53 percent owning or using smartphones; however, the lack of reliable internet access remains a key challenge.
According to Lilian, the OS is tailored to address the limited access to reliable internet and smartphones by offering a user-friendly experience that is optimized for low-data usage, making it highly accessible to young people in rural and underserved areas.
"This means that even those in low internet areas can engage with our mental health resources without the burden of constant data costs," he stated.
This software aims to provide accessible and affordable mental health care, rekindling hope in individuals who may lack immediate or otherwise access to mental health care.
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Historically, mental health has relied primarily on human experiences and perspectives, which has hindered the rapid advancement of digital mental health; however, Lilian stressed that the government should leverage technology in addressing mental health by prioritizing nationwide digitization of healthcare services.
In Kenya, 1 in 2 people suffer from mental health issues, a menace driven by the accelerating rate of conflict, climate change, and economic instability. According to the Shamiri Report, Nairobi and Kiambu reported higher rates of depression and anxiety.
