In recent years, mental health has gained increasing recognition for a person's psychological and physical wellbeing, not only in developed but also in developing countries. 

A person's economical, social and physical environment are directly impacts mental health or ill-health. Poverty, the worry of access to food, social deprivation, natural disasters and conflict, expose individuals living under these conditions for a prolonged period of time, to an extraordinary level of stress affecting long term mental health. A good example of environmental impact is the current Covid-19 pandemic. With people being forced to live in isolation and under unusual conditions, the affect it will have on peoples mental health in the long term is expected to be severe.

"Mental health is a state of well-being whereby individuals recognize
and realize their abilities, are able to cope with the normal stresses of life, work
productively and fruitfully, and make a contribution to their communities"
(WHO, 2003)

In Kenya 25% of patients in outpatient treatment and 40% in inpatient treatment were found to suffer from some form of mental illness. On the other hand, only 0.1% of the governments budget are allocated towards mental helath and an estimated 75% of the population do not have access to mental health care.

The discrepancy between the prevalence of mental disorders and the limited access to support for affected patients, underlines the importance to improve the provision of mental health care.

Additionally, the stigma surrounding mental disorders is still a widespread issue in the country. Besides impairing their health, affected individuals also have to deal with marginalisation, discrimination and are often unable to find work or financial support. On a political level, stigma can even lead to underfunding of the sector and thus to poor services.

As one of the major organisations offering mental health services in the country and dedicated to fight the stigma surrounding it, Kamili plays a vital role in this area.

What is Kamili's impact?

Kamili improves the delivery of mental health services in a holistic manner by addressing many issues at once. Providing assessment, treatment and therapy Kamili directly improves patients' health. Occupational training and Microfinance enable patients to reintegrate into society and provides them with the possibility for a  better future. By implementing new community clinics, providing scholarships and training in mental health support, Kamili increases the access to mental health support and fights the stigma surrounding it.

In total Kamili supports almost 13.000 patients and their families. There are currently 40 Kamili trained nurses across 36 of Kenya's 47 counties. The goal is to cover all 47 counties in the next few years.

By supporting Kamili, you are able to directly help us to provide better health services, and to reach a patients that would otherwise not be able to receive treatment. As is the case with all of our projects, even a small gift goes a long way. For example, £10 will buy 6 months’ worth of medication needed to treat a patient suffering from schizophrenia, while £20 will pay for the treatment of an epilepsy patient for a whole year. In both of these cases, this treatment is nothing short of life-changing for the patient.

 

By supporting Kamili’s work today, you will be changing lives.