My mental illness started in 1987 when I was 15. On that fateful evening as I was taking supper with brother, I suddenly started to hear strange voices in my head. Before I could reason what was happening, I had lost my memory and control of my mental faculties.

I was taken to different places for treatment but to no avail. On occasion my father would bring men who would bundle me to a native doctor for treatment in chains. It was horrifying. I saw myself in a constant state of internal disintegration and external shame.

One evening my father came home and saw my terrible condition. Soon after, he took me to a more powerful native doctor. After administering his medications, I regained my faculty for some weeks, only to relapse again.

My family then took me to see a man called “The Final Bus Stop”. After another relapse they gave up on me, it was 1999.

Meanwhile, I completed my secondary school education amidst public stigmatization. I was once shot almost dead by village vigilantes, whilst wandering late at night, not knowing where I was. They mistook me for a thief and opened fire.

After this incident, my father left me to my fate. It was at this point that the co-ordinator of community psychiatry health services at Amaudo came into my life. From that moment my story started changing for good.

After I got well, I got my BSC in Biology and married my lovely wife and our union is blessed with two beautiful girls. Without Amaudo and the psychiatric nurse that handled my case maybe I would be dead by now.

You can donate to Amaudo here