On Stay Al;ve and Mental Health

Stay alive is a social enterprise and movement aimed at building a community around mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Working within the UAE to expand the common consciousness and de-stigmatize mental health conditions, let's explore their 'dream' collection.

What was the inspiration behind this collection?

We wanted to accomplish a summer feel with the new collection. We took inspiration from summer trends, which inspired our colour scheme and approach to the design process. The theme of dreams also played an essential factor because of the story behind the brand, originally a dream that had become a reality (hence the quote “dream until it's your reality” featured on the dreamers set).

What steps has Stay Al:ve taken to spread awareness and mental health resources to the community?

All the events that Stay Al;ve has attended truly emphasised to me the community’s need for a safe space for mental health. I think starting a mental health brand in Dubai and expanding our presence on its own was a big step toward destigmatizing mental health in the UAE. We made sure to make resources available on our social media platforms since one of the reasons I started Stay Al;ve was the lack of resources that were accessible to those in need of mental health support. We personally called these hotlines ourselves to ensure they were operating since smoke other online resources had shared some lines that were out of service.

Where do you believe the UAE stands when it comes to mental health awareness/acceptance? And where do you think we are headed?

I believe that we have a long way to go with accepting mental health as the serious issue that it is and being comfortable with opening up the conversation about it. One major step forward that the UAE has taken is decriminalising suicide in 2020. However, this is only the beginning of a long journey towards having a solid action plan revolving around suicide prevention in the UAE. After COVID-19, the UAE also noticed the effect being in quarantine had on citizens’ mental health leading to the launch of a mental health hotline, (800-HOPE). Although the hotline only operates from 8am to 8pm, a major setback, it is great to see the UAE take action towards the well being of its population. While there is still so much to do, I can see by the reaction the public had to Stay Al;ve over the last 9 months that there is such a large community of people who care and want to help. I believe we are truly heading towards amazing things.

What projects are underway at Stay Al;ve as of now?

I am planning to start putting profits towards sponsoring teens to complete mental health first aid training. This course aids teens to support each other, especially those who may be struggling with their mental health. It teaches teens how to respond and get the appropriate help. It also increases mental health literacy which is important in building a more understanding community. I have always strongly believed that change starts within, therefore shaping a community of teens will not only support this generation but pave the way for upcoming generations as well.

Where can we find you?

You can shop Stay Al;ve on our website, www.stayalive.me where our main operations take place. You can also find us on our instagram, to see what we are up to and get access to mental health resources. Finally, Stay Al;ve regulrly partakes in community events (examples are the urban market, aura art fair, paus; sunday market, saffron souk market). We always post if we will be there and absolutely love meeting new people there and building our community.