Nafsi Health has announced a new partnership with American School of Creative Science (ASCS) Maliha in Sharjah to support school mental health, student wellbeing and mental health awareness across the wider school community.

The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 31 August 2026 at the ASCS Maliha campus.

The MOU establishes a framework for Nafsi Health and ASCS Maliha to collaborate on student wellbeing programs, mental health workshops, educator development and awareness initiatives for students, teachers and parents.

The partnership also carries particular personal significance for Nafsi Health. Nafsi’s co-founders, Sammy Sawaf and Tayeb Hassan, are both alumni of Creative Science Schools, making Nafsi Health’s first school partnership a return to a community that formed part of their own early years.

For Tayeb, who has lived in Sharjah his entire life, the partnership is also a particularly meaningful full-circle moment: building a UAE mental health company and returning to support students within the community in which he grew up.

Supporting Student Wellbeing and Mental Health in Schools

Through the partnership, Nafsi Health and ASCS Maliha will work together on initiatives designed to strengthen mental health and wellbeing across the school community.

These will include mental health workshops for students, wellbeing programs, mental health awareness campaigns, parent engagement and professional development for educators.

Nafsi Health’s approach is grounded in evidence-based psychological care while recognising that effective mental health support must also be accessible, practical and culturally relevant to the communities it serves.

For students, early mental health education can help develop emotional awareness, healthy coping strategies and a better understanding of when and how to seek additional support.

For teachers and parents, greater mental health awareness can help strengthen the support network surrounding young people both inside and outside the classroom.

Why School Mental Health Matters in the UAE

Schools play an important role not only in students’ academic development, but also in their emotional, social and psychological wellbeing.

Young people spend a significant part of their formative years within educational environments, making schools an important setting for mental health awareness, prevention and early support.

Effective school mental health programs in the UAE can help create environments where wellbeing is understood as an integral part of a student’s overall development rather than something separate from education.

Mental health initiatives in schools can also help students develop the language and confidence to better understand their emotions, recognise challenges and access support when needed.

By bringing together mental health professionals, educators and families, schools can build a more informed and supportive approach to student wellbeing.

World Mental Health Day 2026: Listening to Young People

The partnership comes as communities around the world prepare to mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2026.

This year’s World Mental Health Day theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” highlights the importance of ensuring that people’s own experiences help shape the mental health support, services and decisions that affect them.

That principle is particularly relevant when working with young people.

Supporting student mental health should not only mean delivering programmes to students. It should also mean listening to students, educators and families to better understand the challenges they experience and the types of support that are most meaningful to them.

As Nafsi Health and ASCS Maliha develop their work together, creating opportunities for the wider school community to contribute to that conversation will form an important part of building mental health initiatives that are relevant, practical and responsive.

A Full-Circle Partnership in Sharjah

For Nafsi Health, meaningful mental health support extends beyond individual therapy and clinical consultations.

It also involves working directly with the communities in which people live, learn and grow through mental health education, early awareness and ongoing collaboration.

The partnership with American School of Creative Science Maliha marks Nafsi Health’s first formal school partnership in the UAE and an important step in expanding its work into school mental health and student wellbeing.

For Nafsi co-founders Sammy Sawaf and Tayeb Hassan, beginning that journey with ASCS gives the partnership an additional significance.

Years after being students within the ASCS community themselves, they are returning through Nafsi Health to support a new generation of students, families and educators.

The collaboration will also provide an opportunity to develop and learn from a model that can inform future school mental health partnerships and student wellbeing programs across the UAE.

Nafsi Health is proud to partner with ASCS Maliha and looks forward to delivering meaningful mental health initiatives for its students, educators and families.

Together, Nafsi Health and ASCS Maliha aim to help create a school environment where students feel informed, supported and empowered to prioritise their mental wellbeing.