Last week, we marked Mental Health Awareness Week a full seven days dedicated to reflecting, learning, and speaking openly about mental wellbeing. For us at Emms Tutor and Mentor, this wasn’t just a national event to observe from the sidelines. It was personal.
We work with young people every day students, mentees, tutors, and mentors each carrying invisible weight, often in silence. For us, that week was a moment to pause and check in, not just on academic progress, but on how everyone is really doing.
We Did What Mattered Most!,We Asked “How Are You, Really?”
Throughout the week, we took time to check in with our mentees, mentors, and tutors. These weren’t academic reviews or goal-setting calls. They were honest conversations. We asked questions that went beyond lesson plans or exam prep. We listened. We made space for feelings. Because sometimes, what someone needs most is simply to be heard.
Mental Health Isn’t a Side Note—It’s Central to What We Do.
If a student is burned out, if a mentor feels overwhelmed, if a tutor is battling pressure then learning, mentoring, and growing becomes harder. We’ve seen it first-hand,societal expectations, fear of failure, loneliness, and academic stress don’t just stay in the background. They show up in Zoom calls. They show up in silence. They show up in tears behind muted cameras.
That’s why, at Emms Tutor and Mentor, mental health isn’t a box we tick once a year. It’s part of our culture. It’s how we build trust, resilience, and real growth.
Looking Ahead-Our Ongoing Commitment
Mental Health Awareness Week reminded us why we must keep doing the work. Not just in May, but every single day. We’ll continue to check in, to create safe spaces, and to offer support not just strategies.
As our Founder and CEO Emmaculate Mukami says:
“Academic success means very little if a student’s mental health is suffering in silence. At Emms, we believe wellbeing and achievement must go hand in hand. One cannot thrive without the other.”
So, as we move forward, we carry that reminder with us. Behind every grade is a person. Behind every mentoring session is a life. And at the heart of everything we do is the belief that mental wellbeing deserves our attention, always.