Community to crisis: How Africa became the world's loneliest continent

E.M. Forster's seminal 1910 novel Howards End begins with a telling epigraph, "Only connect". But what happens when the very fabric of human connection begins to fray?

Earlier this year, former Kenyan health minister Dr Cleopa Mailu found himself confronting an uncomfortable truth: almost a quarter (24%) of  Africa's population reported feeling lonely, with  adolescents aged 13 to 17 being the worst affected.

The data, part of a global report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Commission on Social Connection, was almost the opposite of what Mailu had imagined it would be.

He always thought loneliness was a western construct that Africa, with its tradition of extended families and community living, would be immune to.

Ironically, the latest WHO report suggests that in comparison to Africa, only about 10% of people in Europe experienced loneliness.

"I assumed all this happens in the Global North, and that we are fine here," Mailu tells TRT Afrika. "But when you go deeper and realise the disruption of our social fabric in the last 70 to 80 years, you begin to see why."

Disconnect unravels

Sociologists believe westernisation has fundamentally altered the African way of life, dissolving the bonds that once held communities together.

"Just a few years ago, if you were a child growing up in a village, your mother didn't have to bother where she left you. There would be a grandmother or a neighbour watching over the child. The mother would go about her chores without being worried about the safety of her child. It is no longer possible," says Mailu.

"Today, when you take your children to a village, they are stressed because they can't even communicate with their grandmother."

WHO defines loneliness as the distressing feeling that arises when there is a gap between desired and actual social relationships, while social isolation refers to the objective lack of social ties. Both can exist independently; one can be surrounded by people yet feel alone.

"You are employed and working in a computer room for example. And from 8am to 5pm you are alone with machines. When you go back home, you are alone in your apartment" explains Mailu.

Economic migration compounds the problem. People leave families behind to settle in unfamiliar cities or even abroad, becoming increasingly insular if they don't know anybody there and probably don't speak the local tongue.

"Nowadays, even neighbours don't know each other," Mailu tells TRT Afrika.

Silently brewing epidemic

While loneliness can strike at any age, young people are particularly vulnerable.

"Even in a digitally connected world, many young people feel alone. As technology reshapes our lives, we must ensure it strengthens, not weakens, human connection," says Chido Mpemba, co-chair of the WHO Commission on Social Connection.

The health consequences of loneliness and social isolation can be severe, increasing the risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline and early death.

The report states that lonely people are twice as likely to experience depression and may face heightened anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

WHO links loneliness to approximately 100 deaths every hour, which works out to more than 871,000 annually.

Strong social connections, conversely, offer protective benefits throughout life, reducing inflammation, lowering the risk of serious illness, and promoting mental health and longevity.

"If we address dwindling social connection and mental health, the investment required to treat common illnesses would be far less," says Mailu.

Medical evidence confirms that social connections trigger feel-good hormones, contributing to better general health and wellbeing.

Competing priorities

WHO urges governments, communities and individuals to treat social connection as a public health priority with a tangible developmental impact.

But Mailu worries that convincing political leadership to prioritise social connection will be difficult when competing against more visible demands.

"You will be ultimately overwhelmed by what you neglected. It's like a car that has not been going for service. It will likely to break down, then you will be forced to address it. And that is what nations will go through," he tells TRT Afrika.

Some countries recognise the stakes. The UK, Norway and Japan have ministers for social wellbeing to address the challenges through dedicated initiatives, focusing on loneliness and social isolation.

Shift in social mindset

"Investment in social connection needn't require substantial new resources," says Mailu. "They require reorientation. I don't require resources to connect with my neighbour, but need my mindset to change so that we can interact."

WHO urges people and communities to foster a culture of connection. Among some Asian communities, multi-generational households are still common, encouraging a way of life that naturally enhances social connection.

"Some of us let go of some of these structures, thinking they are primordial or primitive. But therein lies the solution," says Mailu.

In a continent like Africa, where traditional structures have suffered gradual erosion, focusing on building social amenities such as community halls in residential estates could help tackle the loneliness epidemic.

"We need to embrace the future with the infrastructure that helps us survive, integrate and be able to have mental peace," Mailu tells TRT Afrika.