If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it is that life does not always unfold according to plan. The unprecedented global disruption of 2020 brought with it not only uncertainty and fear, but also deep emotional shifts that many experienced on a personal level.

Lockdowns, in particular, slowed life down in unexpected ways. As the world grappled with anxiety and loss “out there,” many of us were left with more time and space at home — time to reflect, reassess priorities, and sit with choices made in the past, present, and those shaping the future.

During this period, many people reported personal insights that challenged how they had been living and clarified how they wanted their lives to unfold going forward. While difficult, this moment also created opportunities for self-awareness, intentional change, and personal growth.

It was in this context that the Packing It Away campaign was launched. The initiative invited young people across Africa to reflect on what they needed to let go of — habits, patterns, environments, relationships, or beliefs — in order to create space for healing, growth, and development.

Through shared stories, Packing It Away became both a personal and collective exercise in release, reflection, and renewal, affirming the power of storytelling as a tool for psychosocial wellbeing and transformation.