SelfCav: The AI Tool Addressing Youth Mental Health Crisis

South Africa: According to a 2023 UNICEF report, 65% of respondents aged 15-24 in South Africa felt anxious or depressed, and over 30% considered suicide. Thanks to this startling statistic, it’s clear that the mental health crisis is greatly impacting our youth. Unfortunately, access to mental health services in South Africa remains scarce and unequal, creating a sense of worry about the state of mental health and the youth of the future. 

With that, Shout-It-Now, a non-profit organization, is using the power of technology and AI to address the mental health crisis. National Program Manager Nomaxabiso Tata details how this vital innovation is reshaping the mental-health landscape and providing a much-needed lifeline to the nation’s youth. 

Shout-It-Now Releases AI Chatbot Built for Mental Health

With mental-health support still lacking within the South African public health system, Shout-It-Now, founded in 2007, quickly recognized the need for immediate and private support, especially for the youth.

“We believe in a world where young people are empowered to make the best choices for their health,” says Tata,

“Through our on-the-ground work in health promotion-particularly in providing sexual and reproductive health information and HIV education, we’ve learned that young people need consistent, around-the-clock support.”

As a result, Shout-It-Now developed AIME – an AI chatbot that not only supported the youth but also provided research and factual information. This pilot study soon evolved into Self-Cav- an AI-powered mental-health tool that, alongside the Department of Health’s BYS platform, offers accessible, stigma-free support through confidential and judgment-free conversations on WhatsApp.

Self Love with Self-Cav

Recently launched as a pilot in March and operating on the social networking platform WhatsApp, Self-Cav allows young people to talk freely about their mental health, sexual health, and other personal issues.

“While face-to-face interaction is important, it’s equally crucial to provide alternative access when in-person support isn’t available.”

Additionally, older users, especially parents looking to understand and support their children, are also able to access the platform.

“I would really encourage parents to start engaging with the application so that they have an understanding as well of how to navigate the conversations between their teens,” Tata advises, adding that as we exist in the context of a family and community, it’s important to know how to talk about mental health and other issues the community deals with, like HIV.

After consenting to the interaction, which is free of data mining as conversations are solely retained for the duration of the chat, users can select which conversational persona they prefer, be it a peer, a friend, or a clinician-like guide. As it uses localized language and culturally relevant phrasing, the platform can provide natural and accessible conversations that remain relatable to various individuals across South Africa’s diverse communities.

“Starting with the pilot helped us understand the most relevant terminology and the appropriate tone to use,” revealed Tata, “This ensures that when someone engages with us in their own language, we can respond authentically and meet them where they are.”

Humans Behind The Bot

While it initially launched its pilot in March, Self-Cavofficially launched in November. The timing was quite significant as it coincided with the conclusion of exam season and the start of the holiday period, which can often feature heightened anxiety, loneliness, and vulnerability for many young people.

“Issues like substance use, increased alcohol intake, and loneliness are common during this period, which makes continuous support essential,” details Tata.

Beyond vulnerable conversations, Tata revealed that users can also access actual health services,

“That means linking to a clinician and a nurse, and then being able to access whatever they need.”

What’s more, unlike other chatbots, Self-Cav has a built-in safety measure that automatically flags any language indicating distress or potential harm, connecting the user to human clinicians. This not only ensures timely intervention but also underscores the need for healthcare providers who can effectively address complex or high-risk cases.

A Mental-Health Crisis Beyond Borders 

Despite its location, Shout-It-Now understands that the mental health crisis extends beyond South Africa’s borders, especially with around 150 million people living with mental health conditions on the African continent.

“At the same time, we acknowledge that youth are not a homogeneous group,” clarifies Tata, “Understanding young people in one South African context does not automatically translate to another community.”

“Still,” she insists, “there are insights we can transfer, adapt, and build upon. And even where differences exist, there are opportunities to learn from them and find ways to maximize the value of those differences.”

The Future of Mental Health and AI

Granted, Shout-It-Now has managed to utilize AI in a way that will help address the mental health crisis, but that doesn’t mean that it’s doing so irresponsibly or to replace human health providers.

“We are not saying that face-to-face interaction is unimportant. It is simply a new tool-a new technology-and it must be supported by solid research and strong systems.”

Tata adds that the work done by her organization isn’t done in isolation, as they rely on partners who are experts in the field and who can provide further support. Through these connections, they’re able to build linkages that users can access directly through the platform.

Available nationwide, with physical operations currently based in Gauteng and North West, Shout-It-Now is intentional about how it shares information. They regularly conduct activations and workshops in schools, higher-education institutions, communities, and health facilities to ensure the tool is well known, thus aligning with the Department of Health’s commitment to increasing access to information.

Through the Self-Cav contact number – 087-373-1548, it’s clear that Shout-It-Now is reshaping how we view mental-health support, emphasizing the importance of making it accessible, equal, and, of course, human.

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References 

UNICEF. (2023). #OnMyMind: Better mental health for every child in South Africa | UNICEF South Africa. [online] Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/onmymind-better-mental-health-every-child-south-africa.

‌WHO | Regional Office for Africa. (2025). Mental health conditions affect 150 million in Africa amid insufficient care services. [online] Available at: https://www.afro.who.int/news/mental-health-conditions-affect-150-million-africa-amid-insufficient-care-services.

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