Mental Health and Wellbeing at African Youth Collective

Sisters by Roots, a branch of African Youth Collective Inc. (AYC), is a culturally grounded sisterhood and wellbeing initiative created to support African-Australian women, mothers, and families living in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Guided by the belief that “Support the woman, strengthen the family, nurture the village,” Sisters by Roots recognises that when women are supported emotionally, socially, culturally, and practically, the positive impact extends to children, families, and the wider community.

Mental health is often described as a person’s emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It influences how we think, feel, respond to challenges, build relationships, make decisions, and participate in everyday life.

At Sisters by Roots, we recognise that many African-Australian women and mothers experience unique pressures that can affect their mental wellbeing. These may include migration experiences, cultural adjustment, parenting responsibilities, social isolation, balancing multiple family expectations, maintaining cultural identity, and navigating life between African heritage and Australian society.

Many women carry significant emotional, cultural, and practical responsibilities within their families, often placing the needs of others before their own wellbeing. While they provide strength and support for their children and communities, they may not always have culturally safe spaces where they can be supported, heard, and cared for themselves.

Although professional mental health services, counselling, and clinical support are important, our community experience shows that many women face barriers when accessing these services. These barriers can include language differences, stigma around discussing mental health, cultural misunderstandings, and limited access to support systems that recognise their lived experiences, traditions, family structures, and identity.

For many African-Australian women, wellbeing is deeply connected to belonging. Feeling connected to culture, community, family, and identity plays an important role in emotional strength and resilience. When women do not have spaces where they can share experiences, celebrate their culture, and build supportive relationships, they can experience loneliness, stress, and disconnection.

Sisters by Roots creates a safe, welcoming, and culturally affirming space where women can reconnect with themselves, their culture, and one another. Through sisterhood circles, cultural learning, health and nutrition activities, hair and self-acceptance workshops, movement groups, wellness sessions, storytelling, and practical life skills programs, women are supported to build confidence, connection, and wellbeing.

Our approach recognises that mental health is not only about responding to crisis — it is also about prevention, belonging, identity, connection, and creating environments where people can thrive. By supporting women early and strengthening their sense of community, Sisters by Roots contributes to healthier families, stronger relationships, and a more connected African-Australian community.

Support the woman.
Strengthen the family.
Nurture the village.