💜 Mental Health & Peer Support
You Are Not Alone
Anonymous, stigma-free support for young people navigating reproductive health, emotional stress, and crisis situations.
♿ Accessible Support: Voice-guided options available (tap 🎤 above). Deaf users: peer agents trained in basic sign language are available through the Order & Support page.
Common crisis situations Rwandan youth face — with honest guidance and next steps. All information is private.
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"I'm 17 and I missed my period twice. I did a test — it's positive. My parents don't know. I don't know what to do. I feel scared and completely alone."
What to do right now — step by step
1
Breathe. You have time. An unplanned pregnancy is not an emergency in the medical sense. You have time to think, ask questions, and make a decision. You do not need to decide anything today.
2
Confirm with a clinic. A home test is accurate but a clinic can confirm and estimate how far along you are — this information matters for understanding your options. Youth-friendly clinics in Rwanda treat this with full confidentiality.
3
Know your options exist. Rwanda has free maternal healthcare services. If you decide to continue the pregnancy, antenatal care is free and available. If you are considering other options, speaking to a licensed health professional is the first step — not the internet.
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Tell one trusted adult — when you're ready. This does not have to be a parent. A school counsellor, aunt, older sister, church leader, or nurse can support you. You should not carry this alone.
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Call 5959 (free). The Rwanda Family Planning hotline provides free, confidential guidance in Kinyarwanda and English — 24 hours a day.
⚠️ If you are feeling suicidal or in immediate danger — call 114 immediately. This is a free, 24/7 helpline.
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"I just did a self-test and there are two lines. I can't stop shaking. I feel like my life is over. I don't know who to tell. I can't tell my parents. I don't know what to do next."
What this result means — and what to do
1
A reactive result is not a final diagnosis. It means HIV antibodies were detected — but you need a confirmatory blood test at a clinic before this is confirmed as HIV-positive. Some tests give false-reactive results.
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Go to a clinic within 48 hours. A free, confidential confirmatory test takes 20 minutes. In Rwanda, this is available at all health centres at no cost.
3
If confirmed: HIV is manageable. Rwanda has one of Africa's best HIV treatment programmes. Treatment (ART) is free, effective, and means you can live a full, healthy life. People on treatment cannot pass the virus to partners.
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Tell one person you trust before your clinic visit. You should not go alone. A counsellor, nurse, or trusted adult can accompany you — without judgment.
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You are not alone in Rwanda. Over 95% of HIV-positive people who know their status are on treatment in Rwanda. Thousands of young people are living healthy lives.
📞 Rwanda HIV/AIDS Hotline: 3029 (free, 24/7, confidential)
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"Something happened to me at a party. I didn't want it to happen. I feel ashamed and I don't know if it counts as assault. I'm scared to tell anyone."
What you need to know right now
1
What happened to you was not your fault. Regardless of what you were wearing, where you were, or what you had consumed — if you did not freely consent, it was not your fault.
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Go to an Isange One Stop Centre within 72 hours. Available at all referral hospitals in Rwanda. They provide medical care, counselling, legal support — all free and confidential. PEP (HIV prevention medicine after assault) must be taken within 72 hours to be effective.
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You do not have to report to police. You can receive medical care without reporting. The choice is yours — and the staff will not pressure you.
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Speak to someone today. A counsellor, trusted adult, nurse — anyone. You should not hold this alone.
🆘 GBV Hotline: 3029 (free, 24/7) · Isange One Stop Centre: at all referral hospitals in Rwanda
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"I feel like everything is too much. The pregnancy, telling my parents, my future — I don't see a way forward. Sometimes I feel like everyone would be better off without me."
This matters. You matter.
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If you feel you might hurt yourself — call 114 now. This is free, available 24/7, and completely confidential. The counsellors speak Kinyarwanda and English. You do not have to explain everything — just say you need help.
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You are not broken. Feeling overwhelmed when facing a crisis — pregnancy, HIV, violence, rejection — is a human response. These feelings are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign that you need support, not that your life is over.
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Tell one safe person right now. Reach out to one person you trust — a friend, teacher, nurse, or family member. Being with someone you trust can make the next hour more survivable.
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Use this chat right now. The peer chat in this app connects you to young people who have been through similar situations — available now, anonymously.
🆘 Rwanda Crisis Helpline: 114 (free, 24/7, confidential) — call or SMS
Ask Anonymously
Your identity is fully protected. Questions are answered by trained peer educators and certified nurses — usually within 24 hours.
I tested positive on a self-test. I'm 16. I'm terrified. What do I do first?
🛡️ Peer Educator Agathe
First — breathe. A reactive self-test result is not the final answer. You need a free confirmatory blood test at any Rwanda health centre. This test takes 20 minutes and is confidential. People get reactive results that turn out to be negative. If confirmed, HIV is 100% manageable with free treatment in Rwanda. Please go to a clinic tomorrow — you can go alone or I can help you find an Isange centre near you.
My boyfriend says if I loved him I wouldn't ask him to use a condom. What do I say?
🛡️ Nurse Marie (Verified)
This is one of the most common manipulation tactics used to pressure young women into unsafe sex. Your response: "Protecting my health is how I take care of both of us. If you love me, you will respect this decision." A partner who truly cares will not put your health at risk. Our Learn section has an audio negotiation module with scripts you can practice.
Can you get HIV from someone who looks healthy and says they've been tested?
🛡️ Peer Educator Didier
Yes. HIV has no symptoms for 5–10 years. Someone can look and feel completely healthy while having HIV and being able to transmit it. Saying "I've been tested" without showing you the result or offering to test together is not the same as proof. Always use a condom unless you have both tested together and seen each other's results.
Youth Mental Health Support Group
Anonymous · Safe Space
🔒 Messages are anonymous and peer-moderated. For urgent help, call 114 (free, 24/7).
All resources below are free, confidential, and available in Kinyarwanda.
Rwanda Crisis Helpline
Mental health, crisis, suicidal thoughts — 24/7, free, confidential
Isange One Stop Centre
GBV, sexual violence, free medical care + legal support at any referral hospital
HIV/AIDS & GBV Hotline
Free counseling for HIV, GBV, family planning — Kinyarwanda & English
Family Planning Hotline
Pregnancy questions, contraception, antenatal care — free & confidential
Order a Self-Test Kit
Anonymous, free HIV self-test delivery to your door in 24–48 hours