Mental Health Appeal
Right now the communities we work with in Africa and Asia are striving to ensure people experiencing mental health conditions receive care and support. Alongside our sister charity, Health Poverty Action, and local partners, we’re assisting communities and health workers to raise awareness and support people to live with fewer barriers to good mental health and wellbeing.
Communities are at the heart of what we do. We work with them to help overcome barriers to good mental health and wellbeing, including poverty and hunger. This approach is more likely to create long-term, powerful change. We are doing this by:
Helping to integrate people living with mental health conditions into the community
For example, in Zimbabwe, we train people on sustainable farming methods, and how to market and sell their goods for an income. This helps them provide for themselves and their families, while demonstrating that people living with a mental health condition are valuable members of the community. We also push to ensure that people living with a mental health condition are actively involved in government decisions about mental health.
Training healthcare workers
Our programmes include training for local healthcare workers, so they can support people living with mental health conditions in areas where there is little to no funding for this. Otilia, one of the nurses our programme has trained in Zimbabwe, can tell you more:
“Mental health training enables us to change people’s lives for the better”
Alongside our partner organisations, the programme in Zimbabwe has provided mental health training to over 400 community leaders, community health workers and traditional healers.
Supporting communities to strengthen their voice
Facing stressful events and obstacles in our lives makes good mental health more of a challenge. The inequality, poverty and injustices that the communities we work with face every day affect their mental wellbeing. Through helping people defend their rights and earn a living we aim to reduce the poverty and hunger that can lead to mental health conditions.
Busting stigma & raising awareness
We help local people put on community ‘roadshow’ events in Zimbabwe to help communities learn more about mental health. We train local health champions and religious leaders in remote villages on how to bust stigmas that prevent people from seeking help. This plays a part in changing communities’ approach to mental health, and means that people experiencing mental health conditions can live more fulfilling lives.
You can help families build a future free from hunger and poverty by donating to our Mental Health Appeal here. Your generosity will help to bring communities together to support mental health.
