Kholoud Hamad

My journey in this field has been full of challenges, but every time I help someone survive, I feel the great value I bring to my community.

My name is Kholoud Hamad, a counselor and psychotherapist.

Since I was a child, I had a strong desire to understand human rights issues, and I was deeply drawn to watching films about justice and oppression . I felt the need to the rights I never had in my childhood.

As I grew up, it was time to choose my path in life. We had to leave home and seek shelter in my aunt’s house during the 2011 war. Amid the chaos of war and our attempt to build a new life,my aunt’s husband planted a beautiful dream in my heart.

He told me that what Libya needed most after this brutal war was someone to save lives from within, we lack psychotherapists and we need someone to help make mental health care a basic right in this country.

His words inspired me to study psychology with passion. I graduated and started to find my role in improving the society. Since 2020, I have organized many therapy sessions. I joined a local organization providing social services to children and helped sexually abused women. I saw their fear of speaking out, afraid they would be blamed instead of the abuser. That’s when I knew my work meant more than just therapy; it was a cry against a society refusing to admit its flaws.

The toughest challenge I faced was finding safe channels for abuse victims to report their cases in a society that silences their voices before they even reach out because reputation is more important than their right to mental health care!

But I found a solution, and my volunteering to save lives went on. I helped organize group sessions about the psychological effects of Libya’s wars. These safe circles gave people a chance to share their pain and survival methods with full trust.

Today, I believe mental health is not a luxury, but a human right for everyone. I hope society will recognize this and understand its importance in building healthy, happy individuals who can bring real change.