StrongMinds is a social enterprise founded in early 2013 that provides life-changing mental health services to impoverished African women.  Since many African women cannot even begin to tackle issues like poverty and economic development until they overcome depression, StrongMinds has initially focused on treating women who suffer from this pervasive and debilitating mental illness. 

By adapting a proven therapeutic model, StrongMinds is the only organization scaling a cost-effective solution to the depression epidemic in Africa. They are guided by an ambitious and unique goal of treating two million depressed African women by 2025—enabling these women and their families to lead more healthy, productive and satisfying lives. StrongMinds presently operates in Uganda, a post-conflict and highly impoverished country, where 1 out of every 4 women suffers from depression.

THEIR MISSION is to improve the mental health of women in Africa.

THEIR GOAL is to treat and improve the lives of two million African women with depression by the year 2025.

THEIR VISION is for every African woman suffering from depression to have access to mental health treatment, which  enables her and her family to lead healthy, productive and satisfying lives.

IMPACT

As the only nonprofit organization focused on treating people with depression on the continent, StrongMinds is laser-focused on impact.

From 2014 through 2015, StrongMinds implemented a two-phase pilot using group talk therapy for groups of 10 to 12 women. In Phase Two of the pilot, StrongMinds shortened the treatment period to 12 weeks. With a staff of six Ugandans — a country director, one mental health supervisor and four group facilitators — they treated a total of 514 women suffering from depression in the impoverished communities of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. The program exceeded our expectations: Between 94 and 97 percent of the women treated reported a significant reduction in symptoms despite the reduced number of sessions.

StrongMinds group talk therapy has lasting impact. Six- and eight-month post assessments show that three quarters of women remain free of their symptoms of depression.

StrongMinds Therapy Group’s benefits are far-reaching. Once free of their symptoms of depression, participants eat better, are physically healthier, take better care of their children, and are more adept at seeking help in other areas of their lives.