Empowering Rural Students Towards Mental Resilience
The MINDCARE programme — officially titled Mental Health Initiative for Nurturing Development and Resilience — is a community engagement project under the Geran Sekolah Angkat Madani, funded by the Ministry of Finance Malaysia. The programme is designed to equip Pembimbing Rakan Sebaya (PRS) with foundational knowledge in mental health, early detection skills, and psychological first-aid techniques to support their peers effectively.
The programme was successfully conducted on 1 November 2025 at SMK Kota Samarahan, bringing together 42 PRS students for a comprehensive full-day session. The activities were facilitated by Pn Ross Azura Zahit, Dr Janet Ann Fernandez, Dr Wan Norizan Wan Hashim, and Pn Airina Ramli. Participants engaged in interactive workshops that enabled them to identify early signs of mental distress, manage emotions constructively, and apply coping strategies to enhance personal resilience.
MINDCARE addresses the pressing mental health challenges among rural youth, particularly those from households with incomes below RM1500, who often have limited access to psychosocial support and continue to face stigma associated with mental health issues. By developing PRS students as local champions, the programme fosters a sustainable peer-support network within rural schools, promoting ongoing mental health advocacy and resilience-building in the community.
The success of MINDCARE highlights UNIMAS’s commitment to community well-being, in alignment with the Madani principles of compassion, inclusivity, and empowerment. The programme serves as a model of how education, empathy, and local leadership can effect meaningful change, nurturing a generation of students who are resilient, caring, and mentally robust.
Contributed by Ross Azura Zahit, lecturer, Psychology Programme