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Sangu Delle: There's no shame in taking care of your mental health
Sangu Delle: O bughi ihe ihere, ikpachapuru isi izu oke gi anya
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Oge akpagbu di ukwu dakwasara Sangu Delle, o gabigakwara nkwenye ya; na umu nwoke e kwesighi i kpachapuru isi izu oke ha anya. N'okwu ya, o kuzikwara ihe o mutara gbasara i kpachapuru otu ahu si eme nmadu, o kachasi n'obodo n'adighi e nebara ya anya. Dika o siri kwu: "I kwu eziokwu gbasara otu ahu si eme anyi, a naghi egosi e dighi ike anyi--o na-egosi n'anyi bukwa nmadu."
Sangu Delle - Entrepreneur
Sangu Delle is an entrepreneur and clean water activist. A TED Fellow who hails from Ghana, he sees incredible potential in the African economy. Full bio
Sangu Delle is an entrepreneur and clean water activist. A TED Fellow who hails from Ghana, he sees incredible potential in the African economy. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Last year ...
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Afo gara-aga...
00:14
was hell.
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dirim ka oku.
00:16
(Laughter)
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(Ichi ochi)
O bukwa oge mbu,
m riri osikapa "joloofu" ndi Naijiria.
m riri osikapa "joloofu" ndi Naijiria.
00:20
It was my first time eating
Nigerian "jollof."
Nigerian "jollof."
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(Ichi ochi)
00:24
(Laughter)
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N' eziokwu,
00:26
Actually, in all seriousness,
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00:29
I was going through a lot
of personal turmoil.
of personal turmoil.
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ihe m gabigara buru ibu.
N' etiti nnukwu nsogbu m,
00:33
Faced with enormous stress,
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00:35
I suffered an anxiety attack.
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A gabigakwala m nnukwu egwu.
00:38
On some days, I could do no work.
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Ufodu Ubochi,
E nweghim ike iru aru oru.
E nweghim ike iru aru oru.
00:42
On other days,
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Ubochi ndi ozo,
00:44
I just wanted to lay in my bed and cry.
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m choo kam noro n'akwa m,
bee akwa.
bee akwa.
Dokinta juru nam a ga-acho ihu
okacha ibe na-ahu maka
okacha ibe na-ahu maka
00:48
My doctor asked if I'd like to speak
with a mental health professional
with a mental health professional
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00:53
about my stress and anxiety.
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isi izu oke,maka
nsogbu na nchegbum.
nsogbu na nchegbum.
00:56
Mental health?
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Isi izu oke?
Oriri m onu,
e fekwara m isi n'iwe.
e fekwara m isi n'iwe.
00:58
I clammed up and violently
shook my head in protest.
shook my head in protest.
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Ihere onwe juru m ahu.
01:05
I felt a profound sense of a shame.
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01:10
I felt the weight of stigma.
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O dikwa m k'ajuru m aju.
01:15
I have a loving, supportive family
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E nwerem ezinulo huru m n'anya nke ukwu
01:17
and incredibly loyal friends,
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na ndi enyi m tukwasara obi,
01:19
yet I could not entertain
the idea of speaking to anyone
the idea of speaking to anyone
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na agbanyeghi ya, ekweghi m
agwa onye obula,
agwa onye obula,
01:24
about my feeling of pain.
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gbasara ihe mgbu m.
01:28
I felt suffocated
by the rigid architecture
by the rigid architecture
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O dikwam k'onweghi ihe m puru ime
n'ihi omenala anyi n'Africa,
n'ihi omenala anyi n'Africa,
01:32
of our African masculinity.
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gbasara obi isi ike nwoke kwesiri inwe.
"Ndi nmadu na enwe nsogbu,Sangu.
01:35
"People have real problems, Sangu.
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01:37
Get over yourself!"
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Nagide onwe gi"
Oge mbu m nuru maka "isi izu oke,"
01:40
The first time I heard "mental health,"
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E sim Ghana puta ohuu,
banye na Ulo akwukwo e be obibi,
banye na Ulo akwukwo e be obibi,
01:43
I was a boarding school student
fresh off the boat from Ghana,
fresh off the boat from Ghana,
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a kporo Peddie
di na New Jersey.
di na New Jersey.
01:47
at the Peddie School in New Jersey.
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A kam gabigara iru uju
nmadu asaa ndi
nmadu asaa ndi
01:51
I had just gone through
the brutal experience
the brutal experience
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01:54
of losing seven loved ones
in the same month.
in the same month.
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nwuru n' otu onwa.
01:58
The school nurse,
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Onye n'eleta ndi ahu n'adighi,
02:00
concerned about what I'd gone
through -- God bless her soul --
through -- God bless her soul --
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k' ometuru gbasara ihe m na-agabiga
--Chukwu gozie mkpuruobi ya--
--Chukwu gozie mkpuruobi ya--
02:04
she inquired about my mental health.
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o juru m gbasara isi izu oke m.
02:07
"Is she mental?" I thought.
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m juom onwe si, "ara a na-ayi ya?"
02:10
Does she not know I'm an African man?
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O makwa n'abu m dimkpa Africa?
02:12
(Laughter)
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(Ochi)
02:13
Like Okonkwo in "Things Fall Apart,"
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Dika Okonkwo, n'ime "Things Fall Apart,"
02:15
we African men neither process
nor express our emotions.
nor express our emotions.
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Anyi bu umu nwoke Africa
anaghi ekwuputa ihe na-akpagbu anyi
anaghi ekwuputa ihe na-akpagbu anyi
Anyi na-e gbokwa mkpa anyi
n'onwe anyi
n'onwe anyi
02:20
We deal with our problems.
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02:22
(Applause)
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(Iku aka)
02:25
We deal with our problems.
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Anyi na-e gbokwa mkpa anyi
n'onwe anyi.
n'onwe anyi.
02:27
I called my brother and laughed
about "Oyibo" people -- white people --
about "Oyibo" people -- white people --
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A kporo m nwanne m nwoke,
ma chikwa ochi megide ndi oyibo--
ma chikwa ochi megide ndi oyibo--
02:31
and their strange diseases --
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na kwa oria di iche iche ha na-aya--
02:33
depression, ADD and those "weird things."
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nchegbu, na kwa ihe ndi ozo.
Site n'ozuzu m nwetara n'West Africa,
O bu onye ara
O bu onye ara
02:38
Growing up in West Africa,
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02:40
when people used the term "mental,"
what came to mind was a madman
what came to mind was a madman
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bu isi ruru unyi, gbakwara oto a kpaghari
02:44
with dirty, dread-locked hair,
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na-agbata anyi n'obi
02:47
bumbling around half-naked on the streets.
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mgbe o bula ekwuru 'mental.'
Anyi maara onye ara ahu nke oma.
02:51
We all know this man.
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Nne na nna anyi doro anyi aka na nti
gbasara ya.
gbasara ya.
02:52
Our parents warned us about him.
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"Nne,nne, gini mere
o jikwa buru onye ara?"
o jikwa buru onye ara?"
02:55
"Mommy, mommy, why is he mad?"
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o bu "ogwu na-aba n'isi!
02:57
"Drugs!
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02:58
If you even look at drugs,
you end up like him."
you end up like him."
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ilegodu y'anya,ihe mere ya, emee gi."
03:01
(Laughter)
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(Ochi)
Oria oyi yaa gi,
03:02
Come down with pneumonia,
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03:05
and your mother will rush you
to the nearest hospital
to the nearest hospital
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nne gi ga-ebuze gi n'ulo ogwu
03:07
for medical treatment.
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k'agwoo gi.
03:10
But dare to declare depression,
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Mana kwuo na i naghi eche uche nke oma,
03:13
and your local pastor
will be driving out demons
will be driving out demons
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Onye amuma obodo ebido ichu gi ajo mmuo
03:16
and blaming witches in your village.
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ma na-ebogide ya amusi obodu gi.
03:19
According to the World
Health Organization,
Health Organization,
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Nzuko World Health Organisation, kwukwara
03:22
mental health is about being able to cope
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na isi izu oke bu i nwe ike i ji gabiga
03:25
with the normal stressors of life;
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ihe na esogbu anyi kwa ubochi;
03:27
to work productively and fruitfully;
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i ji were na-aru olu ga amita mkpuru;
03:31
and to be able to make
a contribution to your community.
a contribution to your community.
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nakwa i nwe ike meere obodo gi ezigbo ihe.
03:35
Mental health includes our emotional,
psychological and social well-being.
psychological and social well-being.
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Isi izu oke gunyere uche izu onu
na kwa mmeko mmadu n'ibe ya.
na kwa mmeko mmadu n'ibe ya.
03:42
Globally, 75 percent
of all mental illness cases
of all mental illness cases
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Gburugburu uwa niile, iri asaa na ise
ime otu nari onodu isi mgbaka o bula
ime otu nari onodu isi mgbaka o bula
03:47
can be found in low-income countries.
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n'esite n'obodo otutu ndi bi n'aya
bu ogbenye.
bu ogbenye.
N'agbanyeghi nkea,
otutu ndi ochichi Africa
otutu ndi ochichi Africa
03:50
Yet most African governments
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03:52
invest less than one percent
of their health care budget
of their health care budget
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na-aroputa naani otu n'ime uzo
otu nari bojeeti ahu ike obodo ha
otu nari bojeeti ahu ike obodo ha
03:56
in mental health.
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i ji kwado isi izu oke.
03:58
Even worse,
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Nke kazi njo buzi
03:59
we have a severe shortage
of psychiatrists in Africa.
of psychiatrists in Africa.
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n'anyi enweghi otutu ndi oka ibe
n'ahu maka isi izu oke n'Africa.
n'ahu maka isi izu oke n'Africa.
04:04
Nigeria, for example,
is estimated to have 200 --
is estimated to have 200 --
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Na Nigeria, i ji maa atu, o bu nari abuo
04:09
in a country of almost 200 million.
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n'ime obodo ndi no n'ime ya ruru
nde nari abuo.
nde nari abuo.
04:14
In all of Africa,
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N'Africa niile,
04:15
90 percent of our people
lack access to treatment.
lack access to treatment.
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iri itoolu n'ime otu nari nmadu a naghi
e nweta ezigbo ogwu ahu ike.
e nweta ezigbo ogwu ahu ike.
04:20
As a result,
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N'ihi nkea,
04:22
we suffer in solitude,
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anyi n'anwu n'ekwughi okwu,
04:25
silenced by stigma.
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na kwa i kpa oke a na-akpa n'etiti
ndi ahu di na ndi ahu adighi.
ndi ahu di na ndi ahu adighi.
04:29
We as Africans often respond
to mental health with distance,
to mental health with distance,
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Agwa anyi na-akpa mgbe o bula ekwutere
okwu isi izu oke, bu nke ikpa oke,
okwu isi izu oke, bu nke ikpa oke,
04:34
ignorance,
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amaghi ihe,
04:36
guilt,
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amam ikpe,
04:38
fear
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egwu,
04:39
and anger.
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na kwa iwe.
04:42
In a study conducted by Arboleda-Flórez,
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Na nchoputa nke Arboleda-Florez,
oge o juru si,
oge o juru si,
"kedu ihe n'ebute isi mgbaka?"
04:47
directly asking, "What is the cause
of mental illness?"
of mental illness?"
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04:51
34 percent of Nigerian respondents
cited drug misuse;
cited drug misuse;
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iri ato na ano n'ime otu nari
si n'o bu ogwu n'aba n'isi;
si n'o bu ogwu n'aba n'isi;
04:58
19 percent said divine wrath
and the will of God --
and the will of God --
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iri n'itoolu si na o bu iwe si na chi
nakwa otu chi siri choo ya--
nakwa otu chi siri choo ya--
05:03
(Laughter)
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(ochi)
05:05
12 percent,
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iri na abuo,
05:08
witchcraft and spiritual possession.
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si na o bukwa amusu.
Mana ufodu kwuputezikwara ihe ndi ozo
nwere ike i bute ya,
nwere ike i bute ya,
05:11
But few cited other known
causes of mental illness,
causes of mental illness,
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05:16
like genetics,
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dika site n'obara nne na nna,
05:18
socioeconomic status,
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inwe ma o bu enweghi ego,
05:20
war,
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agha,
05:21
conflict
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esemokwu
05:23
or the loss of a loved one.
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ma o bu onwu onye
nmadu huru n'anya.
nmadu huru n'anya.
05:26
The stigmatization against mental illness
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I kpa oke a na-akpaso ndi isi mgbaka
05:28
often results in the ostracizing
and demonizing of sufferers.
and demonizing of sufferers.
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n'eme ka ha dika ndi achupuru achupu
nakwa ndi a juru aju.
nakwa ndi a juru aju.
Onye n'edeta okwa; Robin Hammond
detukwara ufodu ikpa okea...
detukwara ufodu ikpa okea...
05:34
Photojournalist Robin Hammond
has documented some of these abuses ...
has documented some of these abuses ...
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05:38
in Uganda,
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Na Uganda,
05:40
in Somalia,
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Na Somalia,
05:43
and here in Nigeria.
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Nakwa ebea bu Nigeria.
05:47
For me,
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Na nghota nke m,
05:50
the stigma is personal.
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Ikpa oke si na mkpebi obi nke nmadu.
05:54
In 2009,
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N'afo 2009,
05:56
I received a frantic call
in the middle of the night.
in the middle of the night.
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A nataram ozi site n'igwe eji ekwu okwu,
n'otu abali.
n'otu abali.
06:01
My best friend in the world --
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Enyim kasi hunanya n'uwa niile--
06:03
a brilliant, philosophical,
charming, hip young man --
charming, hip young man --
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ezigbo nwoke mara nma, ma marakwa akwukwo
nke ukwu--
nke ukwu--
nwere oria 'schizophrenia'
site na nchoputa ulo ogwu.
site na nchoputa ulo ogwu.
06:08
was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
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Ndi enyi soro anyi were too,
gbanwere ma kpawa oke.
gbanwere ma kpawa oke.
06:12
I witnessed some of the friends
we'd grown up with recoil.
we'd grown up with recoil.
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06:19
I heard the snickers.
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a nukwaram ochi azu.
06:21
I heard the whispers.
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A nukwara m ntamu.
06:24
"Did you hear he has gone mad?"
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"I nuru n'isi agbakaala ya?"
06:27
"He start torch o!"
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"O yi bago ara!"
06:29
Derogatory, demeaning commentary
about his condition --
about his condition --
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Okwu mkpari na nneda anya
gbasara onodu ya --
gbasara onodu ya --
06:34
words we would never say
about someone with cancer
about someone with cancer
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okwu enweghi ike ikwu gbasara onye n'aria
cancer
cancer
06:38
or someone with malaria.
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ma o bu oria anwunta.
06:40
Somehow, when it comes to mental illness,
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ufodu oge, e kwute okwu oria isi mgbaka,
06:44
our ignorance eviscerates all empathy.
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amaghi ihe anyi n'ekpuchi obi ime
ebere anyi.
ebere anyi.
06:48
I stood by his side
as his community isolated him,
as his community isolated him,
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A nonyerem ya oge obodo ya
gbaketara ya azu,
gbaketara ya azu,
06:54
but our love never wavered.
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n'ihi na ihunanya anyi sikwara ike.
06:57
Tacitly, I became passionate
about mental health.
about mental health.
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N'ezie, e bidoro m nwebe nmasi
gbasara isi izu oke.
gbasara isi izu oke.
07:01
Inspired by his plight,
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Site n'onodu enyi m,
07:04
I helped found the mental health
special interest alumni group
special interest alumni group
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e sokwam were kee ogbako ndi nwere nmasi
gbasara isi izu oke
gbasara isi izu oke
07:07
at my college.
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n'ulo akwukwo koleeji anyi.
Dika onye mgbazi na Mahadum m kuziri
ka m gusiri akwukwo,
ka m gusiri akwukwo,
07:09
And during my tenure as a resident
tutor in graduate school,
tutor in graduate school,
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07:12
I supported many undergraduates
with their mental health challenges.
with their mental health challenges.
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E nyekwara m umu akwukwo Mahadum aka na
nsogbu gbasara isi izu oke ha.
nsogbu gbasara isi izu oke ha.
07:17
I saw African students struggle
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A huru m k'umu akwukwo Africa si adoli
07:19
and unable to speak to anyone.
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mana ha adighi ekwe agwa onye o bula.
N'agbanyeghi ihem maara gbasara
isu izu oke na akuko ihe di ozo n'agabiga,
isu izu oke na akuko ihe di ozo n'agabiga,
07:22
Even with this knowledge
and with their stories in tow,
and with their stories in tow,
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07:26
I, in turn, struggled,
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Mu onwem, na-agabigazikwa nke m,
07:28
and could not speak to anyone
when I faced my own anxiety,
when I faced my own anxiety,
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mana o nweghi onye m nwere ike i gwa,
n'ihi n'egwu na-atuzikwa m,
n'ihi n'egwu na-atuzikwa m,
07:33
so deep is our fear of being the madman.
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Otu a k'egwu anyi i bu onye ara
siri di omimi.
siri di omimi.
07:39
All of us --
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Anyi niile--
07:41
but we Africans especially --
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o kachasi ndi Africa --
07:44
need to realize that our mental struggles
do not detract from our virility,
do not detract from our virility,
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kwesiri i ghota na ihe anyi na-agabiga
a dighi e gosi adighi ike anyi,
a dighi e gosi adighi ike anyi,
07:50
nor does our trauma taint our strength.
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nke mkpagwu n'eyi anyi egwu ji
e mebi ume anyi.
e mebi ume anyi.
07:54
We need to see mental health
as important as physical health.
as important as physical health.
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O kwesiri k'anyi ghota n'isi izu oke
dikwa mkpa dika ahu izu oke.
dikwa mkpa dika ahu izu oke.
08:00
We need to stop suffering in silence.
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O di mkpa n'anyi kwusiri ita ahuhu
ma daa ogbi k'aturu a na-akpuchasi aji.
ma daa ogbi k'aturu a na-akpuchasi aji.
08:06
We must stop stigmatizing disease
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Anyi ga-akwusi i neghara
08:09
and traumatizing the afflicted.
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ndi oria na kwa oria ha n'aya.
08:13
Talk to your friends.
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Gwa ndi enyi gi.
08:16
Talk to your loved ones.
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Gwa ndi i huru n'anya.
08:18
Talk to health professionals.
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Gwa ndi okacha ibe na-elekota,
ndi oria
ndi oria
o buru na ahu esighi
gi ike
gi ike
08:21
Be vulnerable.
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08:23
Do so with the confidence
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gosiputa ya na-enwegi egwu o bula.
08:26
that you are not alone.
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o bughi naani onwe gi kwu.
08:30
Speak up if you're struggling.
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Kwupute ihe i na-agabiga.
08:34
Being honest about how we feel
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Ikwu eziokwu gbasara otu ahu si e me anyi,
08:38
does not make us weak;
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a naghi e gosi a dighi ike anyi;
08:40
it makes us human.
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o bu akara na-anyi bu nmadu.
08:43
It is time to end the stigma
associated with mental illness.
associated with mental illness.
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O ge erugo i ji kwusi i kpa oke gbasara
ndi isi mgbaka.
ndi isi mgbaka.
08:49
So the next time your hear "mental,"
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Ya bu, oge ozo i nuru maka "mental,"
08:53
do not just think of the madman.
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e chela naani maka onye ara.
08:56
Think of me.
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Chee maka m.
08:57
(Applause)
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(Iku aka)
08:59
Thank you.
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Daalu nu.
09:01
(Applause)
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(Iku aka)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sangu Delle - EntrepreneurSangu Delle is an entrepreneur and clean water activist. A TED Fellow who hails from Ghana, he sees incredible potential in the African economy.
Why you should listen
Born in Ghana, Sangu Delle's childhood home was a refuge for victims of torture and violence from neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone. Delle graduated from Harvard College with highest honors in African Studies and Economics. He was awarded the Soros Fellowship and pursued a Juris Doctor of Law and MBA at Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, respectively.
At Harvard, enrolling in the Social Engagement Initiative program that bridged the academic study and practical service gap, Delle co-founded cleanacwa (formerly the African Development Initiative) in 2007, which today is currently working to bring clean water and sanitation to over 200,000 people in 160 villages in the Ayensuano, Suhum and Nandom districts in Ghana. Delle is also passionate about mental health and wellness, and was a founding member of Harvard University’s Mental Health Alumni Special Interest Group.
Delle has previously worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Valiant Capital Partners. Convinced that the real needs of communities can best be met through entrepreneurship, in 2008 he founded an investment holding company, Golden Palm Investments(GPI) to fund promising start-ups that can have social impact and generate jobs. GPI has backed technology startups such as Andela, Flutterwave and mPharma. GPI has also built a portfolio of greenfield companies in healthcare, agriculture and financial services. Delle serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GPI.
Delle has received several international accolades including being named a 2016 finalist for “Young CEO of the Year” by the Africa CEO Forum, Africa’s “Young Person of the Year” in 2014 by the Future Africa Awards, selected as a 2014 TEDGlobal Fellow, Forbes’ top 30 most promising entrepreneurs in Africa and Euromoney’s “Africa’s Rising Stars” award. Institut Choiseul and Forbes Afrique named Delle as one of the top “100 Economic Leaders in Africa” in 2015. Mic named Delle as one of 9 entrepreneurs in the millennial generation making a difference.
Delle is a Trustee of the Peddie School in NJ and serves on the Advisory Board and chairs the Leadership Council of Harvard University’s Center for African Studies. He also serves on the inaugural West Africa Advisory Group of the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University.
Delle loves the outdoors and trekked Mount Everest in 2013 and summited Kilimanjaro during the summer of 2015.
Sangu Delle | Speaker | TED.com