The Herald (Zimbabwe)

Tackling mental health

- Latwell Nyangu

MODEL and mental health advocate Otilia “Navarro” Moyo is working on a movie which tackles mental issues, gender-based violence (GBV) and depression-related disorders.

The movie titled “The Agents Series” is slated for release at the end of this month and is in collaborat­ion with the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

Otilia is the scriptwrit­er and producer of the movie.

“The Agents Series tackles issues of mental health, justice and crimes. It’s a psychologi­cal and thriller series directed by Simba Manzungu and Bridget Paradza courtesy of DOPs — DriftErnes­t Entertainm­ent.

“Each episode has a different theme and episode one focuses on gender-based violence and woman battered syndrome, while the second episode is a cry for help which focuses on the rights of children.”

This marks Otilia’s second project after she featured as Detective Molly in MAR, which was directed by Paradza.

“This is my second project and I enjoy investigat­ive scripts which solve crimes. I am addicted to fighting crime and mental health issues.

“I have discovered that in Zimbabwe, psychology and mental health issues are not talked about much unlike in developed countries.

“Such issues are taken for granted and I used to have migraines since Grade Seven and I would face discrimina­tion, which got me distressed.

“So, I came up with The Migraine and Depression Trust targeting people living with migraine and depression among other mental health related disorders.

“I wanted to target all ages in societies so that they know about these conditions. In this episode we need police by our side, we will be tackling kidnap, solving murder, crimes, GBV and at the same time there will be counsellin­g and all.

“I grew up around criminals, police, and prisons and it inspired me.”

Otilia has been involved in charity work, donating to the vulnerable in society.

“As a psychologi­st, I know that those in old people’s homes sometimes are lonely; they miss their families and loved ones as they are socially isolated,” she said.

“Visiting them drives away loneliness and sadness. And for those with relatives in old people’s homes, a simple phone call or a friendly chat makes a difference to them. Helping others have some benefits like boosting your self- esteem and sense of purpose and it takes your mind off from your problems.”

The educative movie comes at the right when many people are struggling with various social issues in these times of Covid- 19 lockdown.

In fact, reports of gender-based violence are said to have increased since the country went into a Covid- 19 induced lockdown in March last year.

There have been increasing reports of crime, with a number of people being arrested for ills such as murder, armed robbery and rape.

Many societies have been riddled with drug abuse among the youths, with the police recently raising the alarm and going on an operation to destroy all drug hubs, especially in Harare and Bulawayo.

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Otilia Moyo

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