Civic

Ideas

Summary: Mental health stigma is severe in Sierra Leone; many trauma victims refuse to visit physical facilities like the Kissy Psychiatric Hospital for fear of being labeled "crazy," while private therapy is unaffordable and requires expensive high-speed internet. The Problem: How can a young person seek professional help without their community knowing? Why must mental healthcare require high-speed internet when most users only have basic data? How can we create a "clinic in the cloud" that guarantees total privacy?

Summary: In an emergency, people panic because they don't know which nearest hospital has a bed, oxygen, or a specific specialist available. The Problem: How can we prevent deaths caused by going to the wrong facility? Why isn't there a "Yellow Pages" for Sierra Leonean healthcare?

Summary: The Kush crisis is often dehumanized. We see the "addict" but not the human struggle, which increases stigma and prevents community support for rehabilitation. The Problem: How can we change the narrative from "criminal" to "patient"? Why is empathy missing from the conversation on drugs?