Background

Youth represents a critical period of life when brain circuitry is particularly vulnerable to environmental, physiological and psychological stressors that may disrupt the architecture of the developing brain, culminating in the emergence of mental illness. Current estimates suggest that approximately 50% of all mental disorders emerge before the age of 15 and 75% by the age of 18. Notably, suicide is the second leading cause of death globally for adolescents and young people between 15 and 29. As such, mental health conditions constitute a major burden of disease among adolescents and youth globally. It follows that successful diagnosis and early intervention of major mental disorders among young people (e.g., psychosis, anxiety disorders, depression) will alleviate and perhaps even prevent lifelong detrimental consequences in terms of personal, family, economic, and societal cost.   

The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) is embarking on a crucial initiative to identify and address the most salient stressors affecting the mental health and overall wellbeing of youth in selected countries across Africa (Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania), Latin America (Colombia and Ecuador), Asia (India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam), and Romania. 

Emerging stressors on young people’s mental health 

This call is looking to fund longitudinal primary research focused on identifying and addressing knowledge gaps related to the impact of emerging stressors on young people’s mental health. Research should be broadly associated to one of the stressors listed below. Trans-disciplinary and systems-level research is encouraged, and applicants should outline how they might draw upon a breadth of expertise within their proposed programme.  

This call does NOT fund implementation research. We emphasise that we are looking for visionary consortia which will develop their own programmes of relevant research work. 

Personal Stressors* 

1. Education expectations (academic pursuit) 
2. Substance abuse and digital addiction
3. Poverty 
4. Childhood trauma 

*Represent stressors experienced at the individual level

Societal Stressors** 

1. Stigma 
2. Violence and conflicts 
3. Bullying (including cyber bullying)

**Sources of social stress that generate 'differences' among groups of people. 

Environmental Stressors*** 

1. Media 
2. Climate change 

***Are stressors that involve an interdependent relationship between living beings and their immediate environment. 

Being Theory of Change and Contextual Information

• The Being theory of change can be accessed in the Call Guidelines under the application resources section above
• Contextual information about these selected stressors can be found on this page under the additional resources section above.

Eligibility 

There are six (6) eligibility requirements to qualify for this call for funding:- 

1. Lead applicant eligibility 
2. Co-applicant eligibility 
3. Lead institution eligibility 
4. Partner institution eligibility 
5. Collaborating institution eligibility 
6. Consortium eligibility 

All applications MUST be submitted in English.  

The specific countries of interest for this call are Senegal, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam and Romania.  

Applications are invited from universities, research institutions, community-based organisations and for-profit institutions.   
 
More details about these eligibility areas can be accessed in the Call Guidelines

Budget Amounts and Grant Duration 

• Applicants should prepare a core budget of USD $2.4 million for up to 3.5 years (42 months).  
• More details regarding budget preparation and categories can be accessed in the Budget Guidelines  

---

How to Apply 

Applications must be submitted online via the SFA Foundation Grants Agaseke Management System (Agaseke GMS)

 Applications submitted through email or via any other means shall be deemed ineligible.