The 'Grandma Benches' of ZimbabweThe 'Grandma Benches' of Zimbabwe
All In The Mind
In Zimbabwe mental health has become a very big challenge, yet there are fewer than 20 psychiatrists in a population of over 14 million people. To help create accessible and effective care, psychiatrist Dr Dixon Chibanda began a talk-based cognitive behavioural therapy called Friendship Benches: training grandmothers to become health workers for their communities. Presenter Kim Chakanetsa hears the grandmothers are having astounding results, and recent clinical trials found they are more effective than conventional medical treatments. Dixon Chibanda is also moving his idea online and giving the world access to a virtual Friendship Bench. A BBC World Service program produced for The Documentary Part of the ABC's Your Mental Health initiative, in partnership with Lifeline and Kids Helpline, to support Australians during this challenging time.
29:07•5 Jul 2020
Grandmothers Leading the Mental Health Revolution in Zimbabwe
“We've worked with grandfathers before, but mansplaining- I don't know what you want to call it. We now have a lot of friends in the community.”
Picture this: in a country with fewer than 20 psychiatrists for over 14 million people, a group of grandmothers is stepping up to transform mental healthcare. In Zimbabwe, mental health is a pressing issue, and traditional resources are scarce. That's where psychiatrist Dr. Dixon Chibanda's innovative Friendship Benches come into play. In this episode of 'All In The Mind', host Kim Chakanetsa chats with Dr.
Chibanda about his groundbreaking initiative that trains grandmothers to provide cognitive behavioral therapy in their communities. These 'grandma benches' have shown remarkable success, even outperforming conventional treatments in clinical trials. The episode also delves into the challenges and adaptations of this program, including its expansion into virtual therapy to reach a global audience. Tune in to discover how these community-driven efforts are making a real difference in the fight against depression and anxiety in Zimbabwe.
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.