With over 30+ years of experience taking care of a parent diagnosed with schizophrenia, Ginger has had to overcome numerous obstacles characterized by the stigma associated with mental illness in Africa.
Raised by a single parent, she is the firstborn in a family of three. With an age gap of 11 and 17 years, she was also tasked with the sole responsibility of raising her siblings.
She became a caregiver at a very young age. With no idea of what she was doing and having to bear the emotional and psychological burden of caregiving, she still found practical ways of successfully taking care of her parent.
Ginger has been through it all; from dealing with psychotic episodes, administering medication, accessing medical care, to wading through the murky waters of the legal system in an effort to safeguard her rights and the rights of her family.
Ginger created Agape MindSpace to share her experience, and to give practical solutions to everyday
challenges that a family caregiver of a person with a mental disorder in Africa will encounter.
This blog also creates a safe place for the conversation that has been long overdue.