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Wellbeing Toolkit for Changemakers

December 3, 2025

This Wellbeing Toolkit was curated for social change leaders. It’s a comprehensive resource full of information and links about wellbeing-related resources, including networks, gatherings, articles, hotlines, conferences, videos, podcasts, and more. 

Here you’ll find a user guide, followed by 10 sections with curated resources to guide you with knowledge, support, and inspiration. Sections cover topics such as burnout and overwork, mental health, and loneliness – all of which are very common issues amongst changemakers across Africa and around the world.

Remember, wellbeing inspires well-doing!

Here are six things to keep in mind as you navigate this toolkit: 

  1. Conversation starters. The magic of this toolkit is how you use it and talk about it with others – your program officer, your colleagues, your staff – and how it helps you find out more about changemaker wellbeing and beyond. In your conversations, you may consider the societal and systemic elements of wellbeing; the onus of wellbeing should not be on individual changemakers alone! We hope this toolkit is just the beginning of a journey of discussion and discovery. 
  1. Use as relevant; no need to read chronologically. Find your home in what matters to you, in your season. Browse the table of contents. Consider which of these chapters may be helpful to you and/or your staff and partners at the current moment, and start by reviewing those tools. Consider which of these topics may be useful in the near future or long term, and make a note to return to those as needed. Given that every changemaker’s circumstances are unique, some of these chapters may never be relevant for your particular situation. Approach this resource as you would approach any toolkit: tools you will use often and tools that remain in the toolkit, ready when you need them.  
  1. Select the types of tools that will best support you at this moment. This toolkit contains many different types of tools, including: 
  • 🌍 Networks & Communities
  • 🎤 Conferences & Events
  • 📚 Articles, Reports & Books
  • 🧰 Workbooks & Guides
  • 🎥 Videos & Podcasts 
  • 📲 Hotlines & Direct Support
  1. Toolkits are not substitutes for professional support. Some wellbeing issues are characterized by minor stress or frustrations that can be addressed through knowledge, social support, and minor cognitive and behavioral changes. This toolkit is intended for challenges of this nature. However, some wellbeing issues are related to serious mental health diagnoses, disruptive ongoing problems, and/or emergencies, all of which require professional support. This toolkit is not intended to diagnose or to substitute for the professional support that some changemakers may need. If your wellbeing challenges persist and interfere significantly with your life and work, and/or if you find yourself considering harm to yourself or others, please reach out immediately to mental health professionals or emergency services in your area.
  1. Tools are personal. Use at your own discretion. Some tools work well for some people and not well for others. What is good for you depends on what you need at the moment. We collated these tools through our own experience with wellbeing resources, our networks, and through online searches. We were not able to conduct deep due diligence on every single tool. Furthermore, please note that links, personnel, organizational status, and quality of offerings can change over time. 

  2. Share tools! Like everything in Segal Family Foundation’s Treasure Chest, this resource is free to use. Sharing is encouraged. Pass this along to your colleagues, staff, and other collaborators. Forward to other funders. Copy links to share with communities with whom you work. Post about this toolkit on social media. Mention these resources to your friends and family. Finally, please let us know if there are resources that we’ve missed.

Social changemakers face real and challenging tensions. They love and believe in the work they do, but it is demanding. They are passionate about making change, but it can exhaust them. Changemakers are hard workers, but the nature of the work is that it is never fully finished. The obstacles faced are complex, and changemakers often work long hours, including nights and weekends. As a result of all of this, overwork and burnout are quite common amongst changemakers.

Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Three dimensions characterize it: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy. Burn-out refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life. (Source: The World Health Organization)

59% of young changemakers have experienced some degree of burnout since they started their initiatives.

Source: Changemaker XChange

My body had given me weeks’ worth of warning signs that it was not sustainable, but I still ‘powered’ through, feeling a sense of duty. A couple of months later, I was hospitalised. I was in hospital for less than a week, but it took me another few weeks before I properly felt my energy levels get back to normal.

– Bakita Kasadha, Consultant – HIV, young people and women (Source: Frontline Aids)

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • Defenders’ Wellbeing Collective: This collective holds a space for leaders of grassroots, community, and survivor-led human rights organizations to reflect, experiment, share, and learn together about how best to support greater wellbeing and resilience within their organizations. The Wellbeing Project

When we talk about “health,” many people first think of the body—but mental health is just as vital, especially for those on the frontlines of social change. African changemakers often confront chronic stress, trauma, isolation, and overwhelming responsibility, all of which can take a serious toll on mental wellbeing. The goal is not just coping, but flourishing: building the emotional resilience, clarity, and inner resources needed to sustain meaningful work over time. This chapter offers a broad introduction to mental health, grounded in the realities changemakers face, and points to tools and communities that support healing and growth.

Mental health is a state of mental wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and wellbeing that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development. (Source: The World Health Organization)

Currently, an estimated 100 million people in Africa suffer from clinical depression, including 66 million women. 

Source: World Economic Forum

Mental health is not a luxury. It’s a priority.

– Source: Silence the Shame

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
🌍 Networks & Communities
🎤 Conferences & Events
  • https://events.humanitix.com/global-playshop-changemakers-playfest. This online “festival” in November 2025 is a free two-hour gathering of change makers across the globe. The Global Play Brigade has a talented team of workshop facilitators who specialize in utilizing the tools and ideas of play, creativity, improvisation, role-playing, and storytelling for professional (and human) development. Global Play Brigade
📲 Hotlines & Direct Support
  • https://www.wazi.co/. Anonymous digital therapy from certified therapists in Kenya. Wazi is not a crisis/emergency service. Wazi.
  • https://www.centreforglobalmentalhealth.org/the-friendship-bench. The Friendship Bench (FB) project is an evidence-based intervention developed in Zimbabwe to bridge the mental health treatment gap. It uses problem-solving therapy delivered by trained lay health workers, focusing on people who are suffering from common mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression. It uses a cognitive behavioural therapy-based approach at the primary care level to address ‘kufungisisa’ – the local word closest to depression (literally, “thinking too much” in Shona). The Friendship Bench.
  • https://mental360.or.ke/. Kenyan national psychosocial support helpline service:  available for individuals in distress, in emergencies, and in need of mental Health Support. Mental Health 360.
  • https://www.tahmef.org/. Tanzanian healthtech nonprofit TAHMEF provides stigma-free mental health support for youth through digital services and community outreach, fostering improved well-being and more resilient futures. TAHMEF.

Whether navigating long travel days, managing unpredictable workloads, or operating in resource-constrained environments, the physical demands of social change work are significant. This chapter explores how rest, movement, nutrition, and bodily strength directly influence mental clarity, emotional resilience, and long-term effectiveness. From traditional practices to modern fitness approaches, cultivating physical wellbeing is both an act of self-preservation and a form of resistance to burnout.

Physical wellbeing is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows us to get the most out of our daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. It includes taking care of our bodies and recognizing that our daily habits and behaviours have a significant impact on our overall health, wellbeing and quality of life. (Source: Australian National University)

Physical activity is 1.5 times more effective at reducing mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, psychological stress, and anxiety than medication or cognitive behavior therapy.

Source: World Economic Forum

Even the mightiest eagle comes to the tree tops to rest.

– Source: Ugandan Proverb

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • Run Clubs in South Africa Running clubs throughout the continent provide community and motivation. The links provide examples of dozens of running clubs in South Africa and Kenya, and similar clubs can be found in most cities. Women’s Health.
  • Run Clubs in Kenya. Running clubs throughout the continent provide community and motivation. The links provide examples of dozens of running clubs in South Africa and Kenya, and similar clubs can be found in most cities. Run Beyond.
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
  • AfroYoga. This digital platform offers yoga sessions, meditation, and healthy recipes. From the founder: “Proudly disrupting the wellness industry status quo since 2017. Our mission is to increase access to wealth and wellness for marginalised communities. We do this through our expertise in culture-driven yoga experiences, entrepreneurship education and wellness programming for founders.” AfroYoga.

Changemakers often work in environments where their safety and security—physical, digital, or emotional—is at risk. Whether it’s due to speaking out against injustice, operating in politically unstable contexts, or addressing controversial social issues, these risks can take a toll. Building awareness, preparation, and community response systems is essential for long-term sustainability.

Security means freedom from harm, or the risk of harm, which results from intentional acts. In humanitarian contexts, these risks might be kidnappings or bombings. Safety means freedom from harm, or the risk of harm, which results from unintentional acts. In humanitarian contexts, these risks might be natural disasters or road traffic incidents. (Source: Global Interagency Security Forum)

The greatest risks to the wellbeing of NGO staff arise not from security threats, but from safety issues. Safety threats such as vehicle accidents, malaria, water-borne disease, HIV and other health threats continue to be by far the largest causes of casualties among relief workers.

Source: Forced Migration Review

Occupational safety and health are vital to the dignity of work. — International Labour Office Director-General Juan Somavia

– Source: International Labour Office Director-General Juan Somavia

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • Africa Center for Security Studies. A forum for research, academic programs, and the exchange of ideas with the aim of enhancing citizen security by strengthening the effectiveness and accountability of African institutions. Africa Center for Security Studies.
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
📲 Hotlines & Direct Support
  • Frontline Defenders. Provides many services, including: Emergency Contact number, Protection grants, Research & advocacy, Risk analysis, and Training. Frontline Defenders.
  • Digital Defenders. Provides many services, including:  Helpline for Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, Digital First Aid Kit, dDigital Protection Accompaniment Manual. Digital Defenders.

Changemaking can be isolating, especially for founders, directors, or advocates working in under-resourced settings. The emotional load of leadership—paired with few safe spaces to share doubts, fears, and struggles—can result in deep loneliness. Supportive communities are essential for psychological and social resilience.

Loneliness is an emotional state that arises from not having the desired sufficient meaningful connections with others – those people you could rely on in time of need. Loneliness is not related to how many friends or relationships you have, or whether you are alone or amongst people. Loneliness and social isolation are different concepts but they are interconnected…one can exacerbate the other, or they can be simultaneously causing distress

Loneliness is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity

Source: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community

I dreamed about a culture of belonging. I still dream that dream. I contemplate what our lives would be like if we knew how to cultivate awareness, to live mindfully, peacefully; if we learned habits of being that would bring us closer together, that would help us build beloved community

– Source: Bell Hooks

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
  • Loneliness Toolkit. This toolkit offers actionable solutions to feel less lonely, build more meaningful connections and strengthen current relationships. It includes videos, infographics, app recommendations, and more. CuraLinc Healthcare.
  • Social Isolation and Loneliness. Very concise, compact guide with helpful resources, frameworks, and tips. There are a few details specific to the context location (Canada), but mostly universally relevant. Alberta Health Services, Mental Health Promotion & Illness Prevention.
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
  • Why Nonprofit Leadership Is Surprisingly Lonely (And What to Do About It). From the author: “Anyone who has been a leader understands the isolation, the ups and downs, and how lonely it can be. The expression ‘It’s lonely at the top’ is based on some truth… For nonprofit executive directors and CEOs, stressors are compounded by lower overall compensation rates, high burnout levels, and outsized expectations that our leaders should embody everything we believe in.” Sean Kosofsy in the Nonprofit Fixer.
  • Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. This advisory is a public statement that calls people’s attention to an urgent public health issue and provides recommendations for how it should be addressed. Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that require immediate awareness and action. This is in the context of the USA, but it contains universal truths. U.S. Surgeon General.
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • AfroConnections. A digital platform for African changemakers to connect, collaborate, and find emotional and professional support. AfriLabs community project.
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
  • Surviving Loneliness: African Americans in Africa. Ashley shares perspectives on community, and guidance on steps can help folks thrive abroad and break any cycles of loneliness or isolation. While her identity (African American) is not the same as many users of this toolkit, her tips are universally relevant. Ashley in Afrika.
  • Vivek Murthy on Loneliness and the Power of Connection. From the source: “If you are lonely, if you’ve ever been lonely, you are not alone. Loneliness is extraordinarily common. It is a universal part of the human experience – a natural signal like hunger or thirst that our body sends us when we lack something that we need for our survival, which is social connection. In the latest RSA Short, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy explains how we can get better at spotting the signs of loneliness in people around us, and the simple steps we can all take to build a more connected society, and a more connected life.” RSA Short.
  • The Cure To The Loneliness Epidemic | Sabeeha Banubhai: Jack Studios Founder. Sabeeha explores the transformative power of community in fostering connection and support, especially in an age marked by a growing loneliness epidemic. Sabeeha also addresses the critical issue of mental health, discussing its impact on individuals and society, and offering insights into how we can collectively work toward better well-being. The African CEO.
🎤 Conferences & Events

Neurodivergent changemakers—including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other cognitive variations—bring vital creativity and innovation. Yet, many face barriers to inclusion in leadership roles, meetings, and organizational structures. Recognizing neurodiversity as a strength is a step toward more inclusive, resilient movements.

Neurodivergence is the term for when someone's brain processes, learns, and/or behaves differently from what is considered "typical." Formerly considered a problem or an abnormality, scientists now understand that neurodivergence isn’t inherently an issue for the individual and that it has a large societal benefit. Not all presentations of neurodivergence are a disability, like synesthesia, but all are a difference in how the brain works. (Source: VeryWell Mind)

Research suggests that teams with neurodivergent professionals in some roles can be 30% more productive than those without them.

Source: Robert D. Austin and Gary P. Pisano, “Neurodiversity as a competitive advantage: Why you should embrace it in your workforce,” Harvard Business Review

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.

– Source: Audre Lorde

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
  • Neurodiversity in the Workplace. This guide helps recruit, hire, retain, and advance neurodivergent workers and benefit from the advantages of neurodiversity at work. Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability.
  • Neurodiversity Toolkit. A selection of neurodiversity training and support material from the BBC and beyond. Includes reports, films (like “ND Mode” and “ND Haze”), and more. BBC CAPE (Creating a Positive Environment).
  • Including Neurodivergent Workers: Workspace, Work Schedules, and Other Accommodations. Work environments can be more supportive and welcoming to neurodivergent employees by making changes to the workspace or schedule, providing accommodations such as the ability to telework, and other employment-related supports. Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability.
  • What is Neurodiverse, Neurotypical, Neurodivergent? A concise synopsis of multiple concepts, on developments in our understanding of neurodivergence, and on controversies, movements, and neurodiversity justice. Disability World.
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • Disability and Inclusion Africa Network. A pan-African network of disabled persons, NGOs, and researchers working to improve understandings of disability in sub-Saharan Africa. DIA hosts online workshops, a biannual conference, and funds grassroots projects to celebrate diverse abilities and challenge stigma. Disability Inclusion Africa (DIA) Network.
  • Autism South Africa. Support, advocacy, community, training, and more. Support is offered to Autistic people throughout their lifespan, ranging from pre-diagnosis to the workplace. This support is offered to adults, families, professionals, and any other stakeholders who may require support or information. Autism South Africa.
  • Exceptional Individuals. This organization provides neurodiversity consulting, recruitment and employment support to employers and individuals with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and autism. Exceptional Individuals.
  • Neurodivergent insights. This site has many resources for neurodivergent individuals, created by a neurodivergent healthcare professional. They also have a community hub for discussion and sharing. Neurodivergent Insights.
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
  • Are you Neurodivergent – Neurodivergence 101: What You Need to Know. Neurodivergence is not a one-size-fits-all concept. In this video, a doctor provides a deeper understanding of the different conditions that fall under the neurodivergent umbrella. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, this video sheds light on the challenges and strengths of those who are neurodivergent. www.TheTravellingDoc.com.
  • Divergent thinking. Neurodiversity consulting/training firm. They provide resources like coaching and training to support neurodivergent workers and build inclusive workspaces. Divergent thinking.

Many changemakers carry personal and collective trauma, which can result from experiencing natural disasters, accidents, diagnoses, abuse, war, displacement, violence (including gender-based violence), systemic racism, and more. Trauma can be stored in the body and influence decision-making, leadership, and relationships. Addressing and healing trauma is necessary for sustainable social change.

The word “trauma” literally means wound, shock, or injury. Psychological trauma is a person’s experience of emotional distress resulting from an event that overwhelms the capacity to emotionally digest it. The precipitating event may be a one-time occurrence or a series of occurrences perceived as seriously harmful or life-threatening to oneself or loved ones. (Source: Psychology Today)

The symptoms of PTSD in adults are grouped by impairment level as serious, moderate, or mild. It is estimated that 36.6% of adults experience serious impairment, 33.1% have a moderate impairment, and 30.2% have mild impairment.

Source: The Recovery Village

It is unrealistic to expect people to plan for the future while they are haunted by the atrocities they have witnessed, or the horror they endured. No one can benefit from training programs while they have regular flashbacks to the worst moments of their lives

– Source: The Recovery Village

📚 Articles, Reports & Books
  • Trauma-Informed Leadership: Why Self-Care Matters for Nonprofit Executives. When leaders take care of themselves, they are better equipped to support others, build stronger relationships, and guide their organisations through adversity. This article includes strategies nonprofit leaders can implement to manage their stress or trauma and ensure they can lead with compassion and effectiveness. Nonprofit HR.
  • How Childhood Trauma May Impact Adults. Two trauma experts share how trauma affects the brain and body, how PTSD and trauma are related, and suggestions for healing. University of Rochester Medical Centre.
  • Trauma and Violence. A primer on trauma and its effects. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
  • Unmasking the Silent Impact of Trauma in Nonprofits. A trauma-informed culture can enhance a nonprofit’s organizational sustainability, employee wellbeing, and overall productivity. Inga James, Blue Avocado.
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET). AYINET is committed to making peace and justice a reality for victims and survivors of war. African Youth Initiative Network (AYINET).
  • Network for Africa. Network for Africa trains people and communities to manage their post-traumatic stress, removing the psychological blocks that prevent them from getting on with life when the conflict ends. It provides psychological counseling and mental health training. Network for Africa.
  • The Regional Psychosocial Support Initiatives (REPSSI). The Regional Psychosocial Support Initiatives (REPSSI) is a pan-African organisation (across 13 countries) that has been providing holistic psychosocial care and support to youth in East and Southern Africa. REPSSI is renowned for the development of high quality, evidence-informed psychosocial support tools and resources, which are used globally within programmes and services for children, youth, families and communities. PATA (Pediatric Adolescent Treatment Africa).
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
  • Post-Conflict Trauma. This podcast features Victor Ochen discussing treatment options for victims traumatised by terror and conflict. He explains how we can facilitate the healing process for victims of terror and conflict by treating both physical and emotional wounds and embracing leadership that chooses peace. Victor Ochen, #Solvable Podast, Rockefeller Foundation.
🎤 Conferences & Events

Digital tools have become essential for African changemakers—but they bring risks as well as rewards. From WhatsApp organizing to online fundraising, tech is a powerful enabler. Yet, screen fatigue, surveillance, online harassment, and digital overload are rising threats to wellbeing. Digital wellbeing is about using technology in ways that enhance, rather than harm, one’s mental, emotional, and physical health.

Digital wellbeing is the ability to handle online stress, engage in healthy digital behaviors, and use our technologies in ways that help us thrive. (Source: Tchiki Davis, in Berkeley Wellbeing Institute)

Almost half of all people skip sleep weekly to use technology.

Source: Sync Digital Wellbeing Program

Many of us are familiar with the potential pitfalls. ‘Doomscrolling’ through negative news in your feeds. Struggling to sleep after spending too long looking at a smartphone screen in the dark. Have your smartphone constantly ping and vibrate when you’re trying to relax with your family. Or lost productivity due to distraction from games or social media.

– Source:  The Importance of Digital Wellbeing by Jace Chen

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
  • Global Digital Wellbeing Index. With an interactive index to explore and lots of facts about digital technology use, The Global Digital Wellbeing Index (DWI) examines how countries are putting in place building blocks for the balanced use of digital technologies — maximizing the opportunities offered by digital technology while enhancing individual and collective wellbeing. Saudi Arabian Oil Co. King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture.
  • Digital Wellbeing Experiments. These videos and apps detail a series of experiments one can try to improve one’s digital wellbeing. These tools can help, for example, find focus time, log off as a group, or cluster notifications. Google.
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
  • The Importance of Digital Wellbeing. A description of the pitfalls of negative digital behavior and how to overcome these habits. Jace Chen / Mamsi Nkosi, IT News Africa.
  • Digital Wellbeing: Definitions, Apps, and Strategies. An explainer on what digital wellbeing is, what one can do to ensure tech helps rather than harms, and science-based strategies to optimize digital wellbeing. Tchiki Davis, Berkeley Wellbeing Institute.
  • Digital Wellbeing for South Africa’s Youth in the Spotlight Amid. With a focus on youth in South Africa, this article links mental health concerns to increased time online (smartphones, apps), and how to approach digital wellbeing conversations. FinTech Finance News.
  • Mental Health Concerns. With a focus on youth in South Africa, this article links mental health concerns to increased time online (smartphones, apps), and how to approach digital wellbeing conversations. FinTech Finance News.
  • Digital Tools for Promoting Healthy Lifestyles among African Millennials. From fitness tracking apps to online communities and mental health platforms, digital health innovations are enabling young Africans to make better decisions about physical activity, diet, mental wellbeing, and overall health. Doctors Explain Digital Health.

For many African changemakers, connection to the natural environment is about conservation, identity, memory, and belonging. Across the continent, land is tied to spiritual beliefs, ancestral practices, and community livelihood. Yet, environmental degradation, climate injustice, and extractive industries threaten this relationship. Ecological belonging invites us to rekindle our connection with the earth.

Ecological belonging is living in an ongoing interconnected relationship with ourselves, each other, and our broader natural world. For most of human history we have done that through storytelling, ritual and practice. This ‘invisible architecture’ made meaning, focused attention, connected communities with themselves and their natural environment. Throughout most of history, this is how we as humans have enabled and engaged in a respectful relationship with ourselves and all life on earth. (Source: The Wellbeing Project)

Study participants who listened to nature sounds like crickets chirping and waves crashing performed better on demanding cognitive tests than those who listened to urban sounds like traffic and the clatter of a busy café.

Source:  Nurtured by Nature, Kirsten Weir, citing a study by Van Hedger S.C. et al.

We are the only people on this planet who still speak the language of the water, the earth, the air, the stars, the water, the animals, the forest and all the Creation of the planet. We not only protect nature; we are nature itself.

– Source:  Chief Nixiwaka Yawanawá, World Economic Forum

🧰 Workbooks & Guides
  • The Nature Connection Handbook. This handbook invites flexible and creative application by a wide range of readers, offering: 1) an accessible summary of nature connection research and application, 2) pathways for helping people improve their connection with nature, 3) examples of activities and initiatives that support and develop nature connection. University of Derby.
  • Belonging to Nature: Manual of Activities on Nature Connection Towards Holistic Wellbeing. This manual is a culmination of three years of work on the Erasmus+ project, “Belonging to Nature: The Heart of Wellbeing”. Six organisations from six different countries came together to address the growing concern of young people’s disconnection from nature and the rapid destruction of our environment. It provides practical suggestions on how to promote wellbeing among youth by connecting them with nature. Erasmus+.
📚 Articles, Reports & Books
  • Five Ways to Help our Wellbeing With Nature. There is a lot of scientific research exploring the fascinating link between time spent in nature with a reduced risk of mental health problems, improved mood and reduced stress. This article offers five suggestions. World Wildlife Foundation.
  • Nurtured by Nature. Psychological research about how time in nature can improve our mental health and sharpen our cognition. Kirsten Weir, American Psychological Association.
  • Could Indigenous Wisdom. Communities like the Bassari of Senegal and the Maasai of Kenya offer practical, time-tested solutions that could reshape global climate strategies. Tostan | Dignity for All.
  • Hold the Key to the Climate Crisis? Communities like the Bassari of Senegal and the Maasai of Kenya offer practical, time-tested solutions that could reshape global climate strategies. Tostan | Dignity for All.
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
  • Nature as Mentor. Jon Young brings us into the ancient practice of nature connection mentoring – describing how mentoring is a virtually extinct craft and yet occupies critical importance in building the sensory awareness and neurology of young children. We delve into his rich tales of living among the San bushmen of Southern Africa, the role of wildlife tracking and bird language, insights on building ropes with the universe, and a turkey called Pete. Jon Young.
  • The Cultural and Ecological Treasures of the Bassari. The Bassari, a community living in eastern Senegal and northern Guinea Conakry, face significant challenges related to environmental degradation, climate change and the erosion of their cultural heritage. Defining themselves as the “Guardians of the Earth”, their way of life, which is intimately linked to nature, is now under threat. In this documentary film, emphasis is placed on the deep relationship between the Bassari community and their natural environment as a source of resilience and wellbeing. The Wellbeing Project.
  • Healing our Roots: Ground and Balance by Integrating Traditional Practices. In this webinar, discover different traditional Filipino healing practices. This session combines healing practices (breathwork, cacao healing, sound healing) and shared experiences. In the group discussion, the panellists address the decolonization of healing practices, as well as ancestral healing and its relation to the five elements (air, fire, ether, water, earth). Jo-Anne Suriel, Nick Daez, Valerie Dinglas Iafrate through The Wellbeing Project.
  • Healing with Indian Wisdom. Mala shares learnings from her life-long exploration of traditional wisdom and modern wellbeing practices. Mala’s work addresses intergenerational trauma and ecological belonging, promoting holistic healing and peacebuilding, and incorporates Indian sciences such as Ayurveda and Yoga into contemporary Indian society. Mala Kapadia, through The Wellbeing Project.
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • African Climate Alliance. Afrocentric climate justice means being dedicated to socio-environmental and climate solutions for the most impacted communities in Africa. This work is guided by Africans, people living in Africa, and indigenous knowledge. One can get involved in this movement in many ways listed here. African Climate Alliance.
  • Green Belt Movement. There are ways to get involved with the Green Belt Movement and contribute to the planet. These include: 1) “Be a Hummingbird” by planting a tree in your neighborhood or working on conservation issues locally; and 2) download teaching materials or read Professor Maathai’s books to educate yourself and others on the importance of keeping our planet green. Wangari Maathai.
  • Ecological Belonging Community. The EB Community is a global community for changemakers nurturing belonging to place, to community, and to the wisdom that flows between generations. One can express interest in the link to the left. Georgetown University & The Wellbeing Project.
🎤 Conferences & Events
  • Forest Therapy Africa. Forest Therapy Africa promotes the development of forest and nature therapy techniques in Africa through retreats, training, and healing forest certification. Forest Therapy Africa.

In fast-paced, high-stakes work, rest is often undervalued. But restoration is revolutionary. Many traditions emphasize rhythms of work and rest—ceremony, sabbath, sleep, and stillness. Embracing practices of deep renewal allows changemakers to reconnect with joy, purpose, and energy.

Renewal: To make like new; restore to freshness, vigor, or perfection (Source: Merriam Webster)

For most adults, 7 – 9 hours of quality sleep are needed to receive the full benefits, with women typically needing more than men. Sleep can help prevent the development of chronic conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Sleep also helps to improve and maintain mood, improve your attention and memory, and boost your immune system to help prevent illness.

Source:  The Power of Rest, Health Connect One

The interconnectedness of wellbeing spans across our bodies, communities, land and territories. Thriving on this planet requires us all to prioritise collective care and healing as a strategy for regeneration, vitality, and flourishing.

– Source: Melissa Wainaina, The Wellbeing Project

📚 Articles, Reports & Books
  • Elemental Guide to Napping. Articles about the “Napping Resistance Movement.” Activists and “nap ministers” are embracing sleep as a political act. Topics include: How to take the perfect nap and Why napping is good for you, according to science. Maya Kroth in Medium.
  • The Benefits of Resting and How to Unplug in a Busy World. Why rest is important and techniques for restoration. WomensMedia, Forbes.
  • Rest as a Practice of Resistance and Freedom. An essay with this key message: “We all deserve refuge – a tender place to lay down our burdens, reconnect with ourselves, and renew our sense of agency and purpose.” LaShawn Routé Chatmon in National Equity Project.
🎥 Videos & Podcasts
  • Rest is Resistance, with Tricia Hersey. In this episode, Layla and Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry and author of Rest Is Resistance, dive deep into why we need to prioritize rest in order to thrive. Become a Good Ancestor with Layla Saad.
🌍 Networks & Communities
  • The Nap Ministry. The Nap Ministry was founded in 2016 by Tricia Hersey and is an organization that examines the liberating power of naps. The “Rest is Resistance” framework and practice engages with the power of performance art, site-specific installations, and community organizing to install sacred and safe spaces for the community to rest together. The Nap Ministry, founded by Tricia Hersey.
  • Feminist Republik Platform (African Womn’s Human RIghts Defenders Platform). Platform that fosters cultures of care for African women’s human rights defenders, groups, organizations, and movements. Urgent Action Fund Africa (UAF-Africa).
  • Mindful African Initiative. Mindful African Initiative intervenes in the unconscious routine in communities, tapping into as many individuals as possible by equipping them with the skills and ability to find meaning in their existence and lead more mindful and balanced lives. There are retreats, a blog, and more. Mindful Action Initiative.
🎤 Conferences & Events
  • Ayo Retreats. Ayọ̀ Retreats are wellness, yoga, art, and meditation retreats in Africa and Southern Europe. They are specifically curated for beings who aim to reclaim joy and pleasure as their birthrights. Through ancient healing practices rooted in Yorùbá Òrìsà Ìṣẹ̀ṣe, yoga, mindfulness, connection with the land and nature, Ayọ̀ Retreats create space to realign our lives with our higher selves as we connect with the Earth, our ancestors, and our community. Scholarships and payment plans are available. Ayo Retreats.

This toolkit was created through a collaboration between Segal Family Foundation and Laura Bacon, an independent consultant on philanthropy and wellbeing.