Celeste Matross

Celeste Matross is the South Africa Country Director at REPSSI (Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative). She holds a Master of Social Science degree in Psychology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

With over 13–15 years of professional experience, Celeste has worked extensively in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), particularly supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, torture, and human rights abuses. She is committed to community-based psychosocial support, having built services, supervised and mentored lay and volunteer counsellors in South Africa, Sudan, the Gambia, and Guinea.

Her work also includes designing online curricula and conducting workshops in MHPSS and Transitional Justice, trauma-informed approaches, and supporting the families of victims in many countries across Africa and the Middle East. Celeste has represented this work internationally, including at forums such as the United Nations in Geneva and in collaborations with organisations like Médecins Sans Frontières.