The Bluemind Foundation released its Trust Study ahead of World Mental Health Day, surveying 576 women in Lomé, Kara, Sokodé and Dapaong between April and June 2026 to identify who they approach first when facing a difficulty.

Family was the most common first point of contact at 41%, followed by hairdressers at 30% and friends at 11%; fewer than one percent named a health professional as their initial source of help.

Among women interviewed in depth, 89% said they disclosed matters to their hairdresser that they would not share elsewhere, and 99% indicated they would accept or consider a referral to professional support if offered by the hairdresser.

All hairdressers surveyed (100%) reported noticing a client’s distress before the client verbalised it, highlighting the salon’s role as an early‑warning environment.

Since 2021 the foundation’s Heal by Hair programme has trained salon staff to listen without judgment, keep confidences, recognise signs of distress and refer women to identified mental‑health professionals, though the current study does not measure the programme’s impact.

Togo’s mental‑health system faces severe shortages, with fewer than ten psychiatrists serving a population of over nine million, underscoring the need for community‑based pathways alongside investment in professional services.