To combat the grief, trauma, and frustration caused by COVID-19 hospitalizations where families are cut off from loved ones and from most information about their care and condition, the staff at Vincent Pallotti Hospital created a new way of capturing doctors' updates on patients that improved the flow of information. Instead of recording their observations and treatments on paper charts, doctors enter the information on an online system. Volunteer counselors with access to that information then update families daily, relieving some stress and bringing solace to families and patients alike.

To combat high rates of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria, the Spotlight Initiative supports several organizations providing counseling and educational services to victims and to women and girls at risk of abuse. One program from the NEEM Foundation countered the pandemic shutdown by distributing transistor radios to continue its classes for women. Another, Save the Child Initiative, intervened in a child rape case that local authorities ignored, convincing national police to arrest the attacker and providing counseling to the victim and her mother.

Concerned with a rise in misbehavior by students who were staying home much more due to the coronavirus pandemic, a resident of Kibera started a rope-making project that both engages and employs the children. "I felt the need come up with a project to keep the children busy and also generate a little income for the families to shield them from the effects of the pandemic,” the founder of the program explains.

Even before the coronavirus pandemic limited access to health care facilities, health specialists across Africa were already beginning to turn to technology-based mental health services to offer care with fewer barriers for patients. Despite its growth in use during the pandemic, some doctors caution that it does not necessarily replace in-person consultations, but is still very useful.

Funding from a professional coaching, therapy, and counseling academy has helped a certified life coach and non-clinical psychotherapist offer free sessions to people in Nigeria who are struggling to cope with setbacks brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, which utilizes video calls and WhatsApp messaging, has broadened access for those who may not be able to seek help due to financial constraints.

In South Africa, telehealth is growing in popularity in the mental health field during the coronavirus pandemic, as a means of providing care to those who may be experiencing psychological distress. One institution that has adopted the practice has also "found new ways to support counselors" and distribute training sessions, which eliminates barriers for those who are trying to join the field.

Because a body can transmit a virus for up to ten days after death, family members who lost a loved one suffer from the lack of contact. In the DRC, where Ebola hit hard, psychologists have devised new ways of mourning with aspects of traditional burials in order to properly and safely mourn a family member. The Bethesda Counseling Center uses alternative burial methods like group sessions that release feelings in verbal and written forms and creates living memorials by planting trees and flowers. Families testify to how the program helped them heal, and the program could be scaled and applied elsewhere.

She Writes Woman, provides safe spaces for those in need to receive mental healthcare services. As of this year, She Writes Woman receives about 200 calls on its toll-free helpline each day, serving a community of about 45,000 people.