What are the chances of a person who was diagnosed with epilepsy, mental trauma and bipolar disorder in their teens - rising to become the only Kenyan who won the coveted Black Entertainment Television (BET) award held this past weekend?
In the case of Sitawa Wafula, she defied the odds and rose to become a powerful figure, presenting speeches in front of foreign ministers and government officials and also holding TED Talks in order to share her story.
According to her profile on togetherforgirls foundation website, Wafula detailed how her career was launched during an unfortunate period in her past.
"At the age of 17, I was diagnosed with epilepsy – which is more of a neurological illness. The year after that, I was sexually assaulted, the trauma of it affecting me psychologically. "
"That unchecked trauma from the assault was later given a mental health diagnosis, bipolar disorder. In my early twenties, I found myself dealing with a dual diagnosis and not finding proper mental health information and support," she stated.
Seeking to find a safe haven, Wafula started a blog in order to share her own journey as a coping mechanism. Little did she know that the hobby would open doors for her on a global scale.
The information shared on the platform began helping over 11,000 Kenyans across the country who were on their own healing journeys.
She noted that the victims could relate to her story and they ended up sharing their own journeys, essentially becoming an online community forged by a traumatic past.
"At that time, one of the things I really needed and also why I started sharing my own journey, were stories I could personally relate to. Stories that reminded me that someone, somewhere had walked this path before and even though they are still struggling, they are still here," she noted.
Over the years, Wafula has become a staple in the advocacy for mental health, and currently runs a mental health social enterprise called My Mind, My Funk.
Her projects have seen her win accolades such as Google Africa Connected Winner in 2014, 2013 Activist of the Year and 2013 East Africa Youth Philanthropist.
She was also accorded the opportunity to present a speech at a UN General Assembly Showcase in New York and has appeared in a number of TED Talks.
This past weekend, during the 2022 BET Awards, she scooped the Global Good Honoree category for her mental health advocacy.
"By putting a global spotlight on mental health, BET is paving the way for these conversations to move from taboo topics that are not talked about in our culture to conversations we can have at the dinner table," she stated after winning the award.
