Each year the month of May is a mental health awareness month helping people recognize the ways mental illness impacts their lives, educates people about available services, and highlights ways to advocate—even if they don’t have a mental illness.
In a world where mental health struggles often go unseen, one woman is turning up the heat and the hope through something as simple and universal as cooking.
Meet Eva Mbiru,52, a mental health advocate based in UK who is at the forefront of a community movement that’s changing lives, one recipe at a time.
Our writer Bernard Okumu caught up with Eva as she held a cooking competition at ACK St.Nicholas Children’s home, Karen Nairobi.
Why did you decide to pick on cooking as one way of raising awareness on mental health
I realized that many people, especially in our community, are silently battling depression and loneliness but they don’t want to speak out. I thought, why not use cooking as a way to bring us together, without the pressure of labels.
Eva’s cooking therapy sessions offer more than just meals—they serve as safe, supportive spaces. Participants find comfort not in words, but in the shared rhythm of the kitchen.
When we cook together, there’s a natural joy that emerges. You don’t have to talk about your pain if you don’t want to—but you still feel seen, connected, and valued.”
One of Eva’s most impactful events was a cooking competition with young people living in a care home—St.Nicholas in Karen. How impactful was this initiative?
I wanted them to know they are worthy, just like anyone else. When I handed them those trophies, their eyes lit up. That joy. It was everything. It made the participants feel they mattered and that people believed in them. This isn’t just about food. It’s about reminding people they belong. Cooking is therapy. It fights depression. It fights loneliness. It builds community.
With a heart full of passion and a kitchen full of purpose, Eva Mbiru is proving that sometimes, healing begins with a spoonful of kindness and a shared meal.
Many individuals silently struggle with mental health challenges like depression and loneliness, often feeling isolated. Recognizing this, I initiated cooking therapy sessions—safe spaces where people can come together, cook, and find solace without the pressure of speaking out.Cooking together has proven to be more than just preparing meals; it’s about building relationships, fostering a sense of belonging, and combating loneliness.
What inspired you to tackle mental health ?
I was inspired to address mental health issues after witnessing the challenges faced by different diverse communities in accessing culturally sensitive mental health support. Recognizing the stigma surrounding mental health in these communities, I sought innovative ways to foster open conversations and provide support.
You decided to pick on cooking as a way of engaging community on raising awareness on mental health what other ways do you think could be used to do the same?
Cooking is a culturally rich, psychologically sound, and emotionally engaging tool. My approach leverages this to make mental health support feel natural, safe, and empowering. It’s not just creative—it’s deeply effective.
Talk about the gap that has been filled and the yields of the annual mental awareness week
During Mental Health Awareness Week, Eva Mbiru’s approach with cooking fills several critical gaps—especially for African and immigrant communities in the UK and similar diaspora populations. Mainstream mental health services often lack cultural sensitivity and can feel alienating to people from African backgrounds. The cooking sessions are culturally grounded, using familiar foods and traditions to create an environment of trust and relatability. Mental health is still heavily stigmatized in many African communities. People often fear being judged or misunderstood. By embedding mental health conversations in something socially accepted (like cooking), it helps normalize the dialogue—mental health becomes part of everyday life, not a taboo.
