Globally, one in seven 10 to19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.

Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.

​However, around the world, many key stakeholders underestimate the value of engaging adolescents as partners in their own care and as agents of change. With October dedicated to Mental Health Awareness Month, Meg Zeenat Wamithi, a global mental health expert is calling on young people to take charge of their lives.

Wamithi is the Chief Executive at MindMapper, a United Kingdom-based global education company that provides young people with resources to live mentally healthy lives