Mental health is a topic that is widely stigmatized as it is prevalent. Globally, one in four or 450 million live with some sort of mental health disorder, and there is one death by suicide every 40 seconds. The situation in Nepal is no different. National mental health survey (2017) found that 10% of the adult population was found to have gone through some mental health issues during their lifetime, while prevalence of suicidality was at 7.2%. It also showed the result of the stigma around mental health, which prevented 94% of adults with mental health issues from seeking help. The scale of the problem and personal experiences of Kathmandu Hub Shapers sparked the formation of the Mental Health team and in collaboration with Shapers For Mental Health, the Shapers for Mental Health Kathmandu project. 

One of the primary activities of Shapers for Mental Health focuses on upskilling Shapers in empathetic listening through the Basic Psychological First Aid course developed specifically for this project. The goal is to establish a train-the-trainer system where Shapers in each hub take the Basic Psychological First Aid course, adapt it to fit their local narrative, and then share the training with others in their communities to expand the number of trained supporters.

This is what the Kathmandu Hub is looking at executing as well.

The following sequential and trackable goals will be used to monitor and report on project progress:

1. Hub members complete Psychological First Aid programme


2. Nepali curriculum of Psychological First Aid programme developed


3. At least 3 local organizations working on mental health oriented using Nepali curriculum 


4. At least 100 Nepalese (majority youth) trained by Kathmandu Hub and partner organizations using the curriculum 


5. A working group of organizations working on mental health in Nepal convened to coordinate advocacy and share knowledge

Impact

The long term impact the Kathmandu hub is seeking is to eventually destigmatize mental health in the community.