You can now listen to the latest episode of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's
Strong Talk podcast, "Bringing Faith-Based Suicide Prevention to Africa."
Strong Talk is a podcast series hosted by AFSP Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement Victor (Vic) Armstrong, MSW. In this episode, Vic speaks with Pastor Dr. François Tchidjé about their shared experience in a unique suicide prevention training conducted in Africa by AFSP and
Soul Shop for Black Churches (SSFBC).
In March of 2022, AFSP partnered with Soul Shop Movement to convene a group of mental health experts with expertise in suicide prevention and connection to the Black and African American faith-based community. The group encompassed lived experience as well as research, policy, and pastoral expertise. The result was the creation of Soul Shop for Black Churches, an eight-hour curriculum that teaches faith leaders in the Black community how to minister to congregants who may be experiencing suicidal desperation. Since its inception, SSFBC has trained faith leaders across America, including a training in Asheville, North Carolina, in October of 2023, which was attended by Dr. François Tchidjé, who traveled from Cameroon, Africa, to participate.
Returning to Africa, Dr. Tchidjé began conducting trainings on his own, but recognized the need for additional trainers, whom he was not certified to train. In response, AFSP’s Vic Armstrong, along with Soul Shop CEO Michelle Snyder, joined Dr. Tchidjé in Cameroon, where they spent six days training 92 faith leaders in suicide prevention.
You can listen to the full episode at the link below.
