Welcome to Rebecca Blamo
Championing Mental Health Awareness Among Blacks
and Ethnic Minorities Across the UK
The topic of mental health issues within Black households and communities, across many Western countries, including the United Kingdom and more particularly across Africa, is often considered a taboo subject, leaving many to suffer in silence.
We are here to support conversations and community action on mental health—because your wellbeing matters.” Rebecca Blamo Mental Health Awareness and Well-being C.I.C. is a UK-registered community interest company dedicated to raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental health across communities in England and the wider UK.
At Rebecca Blamo, our goal is to make conversations about mental health issues more commonplace by spreading the message that "having a mental health disorder does not define you," "you are not your illness," and "let's talk about mental health disorders and help remove the stigmas that are attached." We believe that everyone has the basic human right to access adequate mental health awareness and treatment facilities.
Our Story
Rebecca Blamo's Mental Health Awareness and Well-being C.I.C. a UK-registered community interest company(CIC no. 15112819) founded with a desire to help to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health across communitiess in England, the wider UK and with special interest in Liberia, West Africa. Growing up in African homes, many of us were not allowed to talk about our emotions. If we were feeling low or stressed, we had to get on with life and be grateful for the basics like food and shelter. In Liberia, West Africa, many households have experienced traumatic events, but there is often little awareness of the long-term consequences. Mental health issues were not commonly discussed because of a lack of understanding and knowledge. Those who suffered from chronic depression or any form of mental health disorder were often told that they were possessed by demons or that it was witchcraft. This continues to be the case today, and individuals with mental health issues often feel isolated and fearful due to the attached stigmas. At Rebecca Blamo, we aim to raise awareness through training workshops, educational campaigns, leaflets, flyers, videos, radio segments, social media, and other means, with the hope of reaching those with limited or no access due to various barriers such as language, traditions, culture, social status, education, and poverty.
We Want Everyone to Understand Trauma, Black Trauma and Mental Health Issues Across the Black and Ethnic Minority Communities
Future Services
We are always looking to grow and better serve our communities within Bedfordshire, across the UK and beyond.
We’re excited to share that, in the near future, we will be launching new services designed to deepen our impact and provide more tailored support, including:
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Face-to-face 'Black Trauma' workshops: To raise awareness of the psychological, emotional, and social effects of racial trauma.
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One-to-One Counselling Services: Confidential, professional support to help individuals navigate personal mental health challenges.
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Online Mental Health Workshops: Accessible sessions you can join from anywhere in the UK, covering topics like stress management, resilience, and cultural wellbeing.
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Refugees and Asylum Seekers' Mental Health Support: Dedicated initiatives aimed at empowering those of ethnic minority of refugees and asylum seekers status to understand and manage their mental wellbeing.
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Expanded Community Outreach: Working closely with local organisations to reach underserved groups and promote inclusive mental health education.
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Mental Health Over Coffee: A safe and welcoming space to share stories, ask questions, and support each other.
If you’d like to stay updated and be among the first to access these new services, please sign up for our newsletter or get in touch with us at rebeccablamo2@yahoo.com
Together, we can continue to build a more understanding, supportive, and mentally healthy society.
Get Involved: Liberia
Our Heart for Liberia
"Our heart for Liberia and Liberians in the diaspora is to raise awareness, normalise mental health issues, and reduce stigmas. The majority of Liberians have had to survive living with trauma following a fourteen-year civil war that lasted from 1989 to 2003, as well as an Ebola epidemic from 2014 to 2015, which resulted in many lost lives and destroyed families. Currently, in Liberia, access to adequate mental health facilities is limited, and many people are struggling through life in isolation, anguish, and fear."
