Why is there a need for mental health care in Africa? 

Since 2013, StrongMinds has worked to close the mental health treatment gap in Africa. Most African governments spend less than 1% of their health budget on mental health. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are approximately 1.4 qualified mental healthcare providers for every 100,000 people (compared to Europe, where there are 45.5 per 100,000).

What does StrongMinds do? 

StrongMinds treats depression using Group Interpersonal Therapy (IPT-G), an evidence-based model that is highly scalable. We also provide psychoeducational and engage in advocacy to reduce stigma and unlock funding and resources to support mental health in underserved settings.

What is a Social Enterprise?

A social enterprise is an organization that leverages business strategies to maximize social improvements. In StrongMinds’ case, we focus on increasing access to mental health services by scaling treatment for depression in Africa. StrongMinds is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We work in collaboration with StrongMinds Uganda and StrongMinds Zambia under a Master Collaboration Agreement.

How does reducing depression symptoms benefit people in Africa? 

Untreated depression can have a negative impact on all domains of life, including economic, health, and educational outcomes. Conversely, our evidence shows that when people recover from depression, they are able to work more and their children eat and go to school more regularly. They also report now having someone to turn to for emotional support.