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Egyptian startups reimagine mental health services in Arab-speaking world

In an attempt to fill some of the most urgent gaps in mental health issues across the region, online platforms have developed tech-enabled alternatives to offer services that are safe, stigma-free and help raise awareness — although concerns about accessibility persist.
A social worker plays an educational game with a homeless child inside one of the mobile units run by the Egyptian authorities and used as part of the "Atfal bala ma'wa" (Children Without a Home) social program, Abbasia district, Cairo, Egypt, June 22, 2020.

One of the most worrying consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, both when it broke out and as things began to get back to normal, has been the impact on people’s mental health around the world. Coping with the great uncertainty and changes it has brought has been a major challenge, and it has taken a huge toll on the mental well-being of millions.

Egypt has been no exception in this process and the pandemic has also affected the mental health of its citizens. A study conducted in the country in mid-2020 by three researchers from Suez Canal University found that 40% of respondents suffered a severe impact on their mental health as a result of the pandemic, including financial stress and helplessness.

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