Marion Yego is redefining the conversation around mental wellness, using the ArtNovaX Initiative to position art therapy as a powerful and inclusive tool for change.
Marion Yego is a passionate mental health advocate and the Founder of the ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation, an initiative dedicated to offering art therapy as an alternative and innovative solution to mental health challenges. Through her work, she is redefining wellness by using creativity as a powerful tool for healing and resilience.
In this feature, she shares more about the organization she founded, the programs they have been running, and the impact of promoting mental wellness through art.
Marion Yego: The Story Behind ArtNovaX
Marion Yego is redefining mental wellness through her journey as both a survivor and a visionary. At just 22, she is a final-year veterinary medicine student at the University of Nairobi and the Founder of the ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation, an initiative dedicated to using art therapy as an alternative and innovative approach to mental health challenges.
“I’m Marion Jepkemboi Yego, the Founder of ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation, an initiative dedicated to using art therapy as an alternative and innovative approach to addressing mental health challenges.”
Marion Yego
Her path to founding ArtNovaX was born from deeply personal struggles. In 2023, while in her second year at at the University of Nairobi, Marion faced one of the darkest periods of her life. Separated from family, distanced from friends, and battling depression, she often found herself overwhelmed by suicidal thoughts. Speaking out didn’t feel like an option.
“During my second year in campus. At the time, I was going through a very difficult season, away from family and isolated from friends. I fell into depression and often battled suicidal thoughts.
Opening up was not an option for me. I feared being judged as weak by family or friends, and I dreaded the stigma that often surrounds mental health struggles. On top of that, therapy was financially out of reach.”
With therapy financially out of reach, she turned to the one thing that had always been with her since childhood, art.
Drawing and doodling, once a hobby, became her lifeline. Each pencil sketch pulled her away from despair and gave her a sense of control over her thoughts. She explains,
“Whenever suicidal thoughts crept in, I would search online for pencil art photos, download them, and replicate them in my sketchpad. That simple act of drawing and doodling became a form of dissociation, giving me space to focus on creation rather than despair. It gave me a sense of control over my thoughts.”
What began as a coping mechanism slowly evolved into her healing process.
As Marion regained her footing, she began to notice others around her, students grappling with similar or even worse struggles, often without access to affordable or relatable support. That realization lit a fire in her heart and eventually gave rise to what started as Art for Wellbeing Mental Health Foundation in 2023, later rebranded into ArtNovaX.
The early days were marked with experimentation. Together with her peers, Marion organized art therapy contests, webinars, and mental health events. But the turnout was not what they expected.
“In 2024, we organized art therapy contests, webinars, and mental health events. But we noticed a worrying trend: despite free or affordable entry, attendance was low. This forced us to step back and rethink our approach. We realized young people needed solutions that were practical, relatable, and accessible.”
Out of this reflection, ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation was born, a bold vision that extends beyond creative sessions to providing evidence-based, culturally relevant art therapy tailored to African contexts, equipping psychologists with art-based therapeutic tools, and even building innovative art-tech solutions to reach youth across Kenya and Africa.
The Power of Art & Addressing Mental Health Challenges
For Marion, the power of ArtNovaX begins with a simple belief: art is already within us.
“Human beings are inherently artistic. We are each like a canvas; unique in design, thought, and expression. Creation itself is at the heart of human existence, and creation is a form of art.”
Marion Yego, Founder, ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation
This is why she believes art is such a natural tool for healing, it bypasses the pressure of words and offers space for expression that feels safe and authentic. “Simply put, we are art, and art is for us,” she adds.
But the work of ArtNovaX goes beyond creative expression; it directly confronts one of the most urgent challenges of our time, suicidality among young people.
Research shows that nearly one in five adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa experience suicidal ideation. A systematic review of general-population studies found a median point prevalence of 20.8% among youth across the region. In Kenya, the picture is equally concerning. A study among secondary school students aged 15 and above reported that 22.6% had experienced suicidal ideation.
Marion notes that nearly one in five African youth experience suicidal ideation, with about 20.8% actively struggling with it. She recalls, “At one point, we had about 11 cases of suicide within a single university faculty.” For her, these numbers are are a reflection of young lives weighed down by struggles, immense pressures, social expectations to “have it all figured out,” financial strain, and the relentless comparisons of social media.
Traditional solutions, while important, often fall short. Many young people cannot afford therapy, some have never even heard of it, and others fear stigma or lack the words to describe their pain. In a digital era, some turn to chatbots or AI tools for help, but Marion warns that these are not designed for therapy.
“They lack empathy and the human touch. For someone in crisis, that can worsen the situation, sometimes even pushing them further toward suicide,” she explains.
In times of crisis, using untrained tools like chatbots or AI companions for mental health support can be dangerous. A recent example is the lawsuit filed by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine from California, who died by suicide on April 11, 2025. The lawsuit alleges that over several months, Adam confided in ChatGPT-4o, and that the system validated his suicidal thoughts, provided instructions on self-harm methods, helped him conceal his intent, and even offered to write a suicide note. This case highlights how, in the absence of appropriate safeguards and in long, emotionally laden interactions, AI tools can fail vulnerable individuals rather than provide the help they need.
Marion says carrying the weight of such realities is not easy, especially for a young leader who is also balancing the demands of a medical degree. Marion admits that she, too, has had to learn the importance of caring for herself. “Balance starts with setting boundaries,” she says, describing how she takes intentional pauses when she feels overwhelmed, or refers others to alternative support when she doesn’t have the bandwidth. Compassion, she emphasizes, must extend inward. Her strength is also drawn from her team, friends, and family who remind her that she does not walk this journey alone.
Programs, Impact & Community Engagement
ArtNovaX’s work is rooted in the belief that art can bridge the gap between silence and healing. Marion and her team have designed programs that blend professional guidance with creative expression. Their sessions often begin with a psychologist leading conversations around mental health before transitioning into hands-on art activities. In a painting session, for example, participants are given materials and guided through a creative process, followed by a reflective circle where they can share the meaning behind their work, if they wish.
The impact has been tangible. Many students report that these spaces allow them to process struggles without the pressure of verbal disclosure. For some, it has been the first genuine sense of relief in a long time. Marion reflects that the consistent demand for more sessions is proof of the gap art therapy is filling:
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive… it’s clear that art therapy is offering something many didn’t even know how to articulate.”
At the heart of ArtNovaX’s approach is creating stigma-free environments. By emphasizing talk-free spaces, the initiative allows people to express themselves without judgment.
“Through art, people can express themselves without judgment or pressure to explain. Only the creator truly understands their piece, which makes it deeply personal and safe.”
Marion Yego, Founder, ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation
The organization is also innovating beyond in-person sessions by integrating research and technology to build guided art therapy tools that are private, evidence-based, and accessible anywhere.
“We’re also moving toward evidence-based art therapy, integrating research and technology to design tools that allow people to engage in guided art therapy sessions anytime, anywhere.”
Marion Yego, Founder, ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation
This, she believes, will lower barriers for those who fear stigma or lack safe spaces.
Community remains central to ArtNovaX’s mission. The rebrand from Art for Wellbeing to ArtNovaX symbolized a shift toward designing solutions tailored to African realities rather than imported models. Marion envisions partnerships with art therapy organizations, mental health institutions, psychologists, tech companies, and student groups.
“Our goal is to build an integrated model that combines research, technology, and professional training to make art therapy a mainstream and credible mental health solution in Africa.”
Marion Yego, Founder, ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation
Beyond building programs and partnerships, Marion emphasizes that everyday vigilance and compassion are key in addressing mental health challenges, especially suicidality. Families, schools, and communities, she says, need to look out for subtle warning signs: constant posting of depressive thoughts online, social withdrawal, loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities, unusual goodbyes, or sudden mood shifts after long periods of despair.
“All these are quiet cries for help, and it’s important that families, schools, and communities approach them with care and compassion, not judgment. Sometimes even the simplest check-in, ‘I’m here if you need me’, can make a big difference.”
Defining Moments, Guiding Vision
For Marion, the journey with ArtNovaX has already been marked by moments that deeply affirmed her mission.
She recalls two milestones that continue to inspire her. The first was their maiden event, which brought together about 80 students. Witnessing young people fully immersed in painting and reflection sessions, openly discussing mental health and later asking for more events, was both affirming and heartwarming.
The second was receiving recognition from the Zuri Foundation at the Zuri Awards 2025 for the work ArtNovaX (then called Art for Wellbeing) was doing.
That honor reassured her that she was on the right path, and that art therapy is not only powerful but also a real, untapped solution to mental health struggles.
Looking ahead, Marion envisions an ambitious future for ArtNovaX over the next 3–5 years. She and her team plan to launch Africa’s first Art Therapy Research and Innovation Lab to build a data-driven foundation for art therapy tailored to African communities. Alongside this, they hope to introduce art therapy fellowships for psychologists, equipping professionals with art-based therapeutic methods. The third step of their vision is to roll out their first art-tech product, starting with a minimum viable product (MVP) and eventually scaling into a full platform.
“Through this threefold approach: research, professional training, and technology, we want to place art therapy at the forefront of mental health advocacy in Kenya, Africa, and eventually the world.”
Marion Yego, Founder, ArtNovaX Mental Health Foundation
Through this threefold approach, research, professional training, and technology, Marion aims to position art therapy at the forefront of mental health advocacy in Kenya, across Africa, and eventually on the global stage.
Marion Yego’s rise through ArtNovaX is a collective invitation. In her rising, may many rise: young advocates, mental health professionals, artists, and innovators who believe in the power of creativity to heal.
For art therapy to take its rightful place in shaping mental wellness, partnerships are vital. Art therapy organizations, mental health institutions, psychologists, tech companies, and student groups all have a role to play in amplifying this vision.
Together, they can transform ArtNovaX from a growing initiative into a movement that reshapes how Kenya, and Africa at large, approaches mental health.
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