THE suicide of a childhood friend who appeared to have been the “strong” one among his peers forced Aldino S Campbell to confront a painful reality: Sometimes the people others depend on are the ones who need someone to check on them.

That loss, coupled with his own experience of struggling without someone to talk to, became a catalyst for Campbell’s decision to create a space where young people, particularly men, can speak openly about mental health.

The 24-year-old, who serves in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Coast Guard, launched Mek We Reason JA on May 31, 2025, initially focusing on men’s mental health, issues affecting young people, and underserved communities.

Campbell had known his friend since primary school. Although they later attended different high schools, the two remained close.

He remembers him as someone who was always smiling and seemingly there for others.

“When I heard about it I was devastated,” Campbell recalled.

What troubled him most was that he had not seen signs that his friend was struggling.

“He would’ve had his struggles but he was there for everybody, and everybody was looking to him,” he related. “We didn’t realise that he himself needed somebody to listen.”

For Campbell, the loss highlighted the importance of checking on people even though they don’t appear to need help. It also resonated with experiences from his own life.

“I was always the one people would run to, and then when I needed somebody to talk to, I couldn’t find anyone,” he said.

He described the experience as particularly difficult in the context of expectations placed on men to suppress their emotions and “just tough it out”.

Campbell said thoughts of suicide had crossed his mind during that period. Rather than acting on them, he turned to his faith and prayed.

“I believe God allowed me to go through my experiences so I can teach others,” he said.

Those experiences informed the kind of initiative he wanted to create. When Mek We Reason JA began, Campbell did not have every aspect of the initiative fully mapped out. He had several ideas about issues he had observed and wanted to address, eventually deciding to create a platform where people could reason about mental health and other challenges affecting their communities.

Part of that work involved taking conversations about mental health beyond traditional settings.

The initiative was introduced into communities and people were asked what they know about mental health, with the conversations being used to challenge misconceptions while allowing others to hear different perspectives and personal experiences.

The early stages, however, were not without difficulty.

Campbell faced challenges attracting support, building a team, and securing sponsorship. He said some potential sponsors were hesitant to provide resources to a young person who was just starting an initiative.

Still, the initiative continued to grow.

The need became even more apparent following Hurricane Melissa as communities dealt with loss, trauma and disrupted livelihoods after the Category 5 system’s devastating effects on sections of Jamaica last October. Mek We Reason JA was subsequently rebranded as Ascend JA in November 2025, broadening its focus to mental health education, advocacy, and community support.

The organisation is now preparing to take its message into schools, with a planned tour expected to begin in late September, initially targeting schools in St Ann and St Mary.

But for Campbell, the work remains rooted in the experiences that prompted him to begin it.

Mental health advocacy, he said, is not a trend for him.

Even if suicide and other mental health cases were to decline, he believes the conversation would still be necessary because people will continue to need support in maintaining their mental well-being.

His friend’s death taught him that being present for others is not always enough if no one is asking who is there for the person doing the supporting.