Why a psychiatrist in Zimbabwe trains grandmothers to treat depression.

“Today, there are hundreds of grandmothers who are working in more than 70 communities. And in the last year alone, more than 30,000 people received treatment on the Friendship Bench from a grandmother in a community in Zimbabwe.”

– Dixon Chibanda

In Zimbabwe, where a population of more than 16 million is served by only 12 psychiatrists, Dixon Chibanda realised that traditional mental health care alone could never meet the country’s growing needs. In response, he set out to create the Friendship Bench – a beautiful initiative that trains grandmothers in evidence-based talk therapy, bringing mental health support back to the community. Envisioning a world where a Friendship Bench is within walking distance for all,  Dixon’s inspirational TED Talk is the story of just how powerful community-driven care (and grandmothers!) can be.