Friendship Bench
Depression is a major cause of disability in Africa, and we’re nowhere close to having enough mental health professionals to meet the need.
The Idea
Lay Psychotherapy
Total Investment
1400000
Grants
0
Equity/SAFE
0
Debt/Convertible Debt
Funded Since
2018
Geography
Sector
Structure
The Mission
Improve mental health.
How It Works
Friendship Bench pioneered a model where lay people deliver cognitive behavioral therapy from a dedicated spotFriendship Bench pioneered a model where respected lay people—often “grandmothers”—deliver cognitive behavioral therapy from a dedicated spot—the “bench.” They train the providers, identify community members at risk of depression, then train and supervise local “grandmothers” and government health workers to deliver 1–6 sessions of adapted talk therapy. Patients can also opt-in to join self-run support groups.
The Dream
All Zimbabweans have easy access to quality mental healthcare delivered by government health workers and paid for by government.
Why We're In
Friendship Bench’s solution is backed by rigorous evidence —they have great results even six months after the “bench” sessions. Their approach is beginning to scale via the public health system. They're testing ways for government health workers—like nurses and community health workers—to deliver this model (or an adapted version of it) across Zimbabwe. They're also testing what happens to outcomes and costs if they shorten the number of sessions.
Are you a serious funder and want to learn more?
This is just a snapshot of what we know about the organization. If you're an investor or funder that might send some serious dough their way, we're always delighted to share more. Reach out and we'll connect you with the right person on our team.
*this is not monitored for funding requests.