Rethabile Mathealira-Molapo is a lawyer with four years of experience. For three years, she was a legal aid counsel for the Federation of Women Lawyers, where she was engaged in women’s and children’s rights advocacy, education, and litigation. She also served as its civic and electoral education projects manager. Motivated by her experience with schizoaffective disorder, she founded and is now the executive director of the Touching Minds Association, where she organizes activities to promote awareness of mental disorders, provides education on the importance of mental health, and advocates for rehabilitative mental health services in mental health facilities. Rethabile holds an Bachelor of Laws from the National University of Lesotho and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Development Studies at the University of South Africa. She believes that mental health is an integral aspect of human development. She is motivated to tackle the stigma around mental disorders, the cycle of poor mental health, and material poverty, contributing towards healthier, more productive, and mental health-conscious communities. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Rethabile plans to continue her work in mental health education, improving attitudes towards mental disorders and advocating for the prioritization of mental health in institutional policies and programs.
