Sierra Leone Telegraph: 5 July 2026:
SereniMind has begun the first phase of its monthly Africa-wide youth wellbeing campaign series, with a focus on child emotional wellbeing in Sierra Leone and across the continent.
The campaign, themed “The Child Behind the Smile: Every Behaviour Has a Story,” seeks to raise awareness about the emotional needs of children and encourage families, schools, communities, and policymakers to pay closer attention to what children may be communicating through their behaviour.
The campaign comes at a time when conversations about children often focus heavily on education, discipline, academic performance, physical health, and future success. While these remain important, SereniMind says children’s emotional wellbeing must also become a central part of how African societies understand child development.
In Sierra Leone, as in many African countries, children are growing up in environments shaped by school pressure, family expectations, economic challenges, community realities, digital exposure, and social change. These experiences can influence how children think, feel, learn, relate with others, and respond to the world around them.
According to SereniMind, many children are often judged by their behaviour before their emotional reality is understood.
A quiet child may be described as withdrawn.
A restless child may be labelled stubborn.
A child who struggles in school may be seen as unserious.
A child who cries often may be called too sensitive.
A child who becomes aggressive may be punished before anyone asks what may be driving the behaviour.
The organisation says the message behind the campaign is simple: every behaviour has a story.
Speaking on the campaign, Ridwan Oyenuga, Founder and CEO of SereniMind, said African communities must begin to look beyond visible behaviour and pay closer attention to the emotional lives of children.
“A child’s behaviour is often a form of communication. Sometimes children do not have the words to explain fear, pressure, sadness, confusion, loneliness, or insecurity. That is why adults must learn to observe, listen, and respond with understanding, not only correction,” Oyenuga said.
He explained that the campaign is not designed to blame parents, teachers, or caregivers, but to encourage more awareness around the emotional needs of children.
“Discipline is important, but discipline should not replace understanding. When we only punish behaviour without asking what may be behind it, we may miss the deeper emotional need of the child,” he added.
SereniMind says child emotional wellbeing refers to a child’s ability to feel safe, loved, heard, supported, and understood. It also includes a child’s ability to express feelings, build confidence, manage stress, form healthy relationships, and develop a positive sense of self.
When children are emotionally supported, they are more likely to learn better, communicate more openly, build stronger relationships, and develop resilience. When emotional needs are ignored, the effects may appear in behaviour, school performance, social interaction, confidence, and long-term wellbeing.
The campaign will therefore focus on helping adults recognise that children’s behaviour should not always be seen only as disobedience or weakness. In many cases, behaviour may be a signal that a child needs attention, reassurance, structure, safety, or emotional support.
For schools in Sierra Leone and across Africa, SereniMind says child emotional wellbeing should become part of the education conversation. Teachers are often among the first adults outside the home to notice changes in a child’s mood, confidence, concentration, friendships, or participation in class.
By paying attention to these signs early, schools can create safer and more supportive learning environments.
The campaign also highlights the role of parents and caregivers. SereniMind says children need homes where they can ask questions, express emotions, make mistakes, and receive correction without fear of humiliation or rejection.
The organisation noted that emotionally safe homes do not mean homes without discipline. Rather, they are homes where discipline is guided by patience, communication, consistency, and care.
Beyond families and schools, the campaign also calls on communities, faith leaders, media organisations, health workers, child-focused organisations, and policymakers to support stronger awareness around child emotional wellbeing.
SereniMind says this is important because children do not grow in isolation. Their wellbeing is shaped by the quality of support around them.
The organisation believes Sierra Leone has an important role in this conversation because child wellbeing is closely connected to the country’s future. Children who are emotionally supported today are more likely to become confident students, responsible citizens, compassionate leaders, and productive adults tomorrow.
As African countries continue to discuss education, innovation, youth empowerment, technology, and development, SereniMind says the emotional foundation of children must not be ignored.
The campaign is the first major rollout under SereniMind’s newly unveiled monthly Africa-wide campaign series. Each month, the organisation will focus on a specific wellbeing issue affecting children, young people, families, and communities across Africa.
Future campaign areas will include digital wellbeing, student stress, women and girls’ wellbeing, men’s mental health, youth leadership and wellbeing, suicide prevention awareness, mental health innovation, and the state of youth wellbeing in Africa.
SereniMind says the goal is to make wellbeing a consistent conversation across Africa, rather than something only discussed during crisis moments or international awareness days.
The organisation’s previous Africa Wellness Voices Initiative reached more than 100 million people across over 25 African countries through media visibility, digital advocacy, storytelling, and partnerships. The new monthly campaign structure is expected to build on that momentum by creating more focused, practical, and educational conversations throughout the year.
Through “The Child Behind the Smile” campaign, SereniMind will share public education content, media features, awareness materials, expert perspectives, and digital engagement activities to help families and communities better understand children’s emotional needs.
The organisation is also calling for collaboration with schools, journalists, child protection organisations, youth groups, healthcare professionals, community leaders, faith-based institutions, and development partners across Sierra Leone
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