Mental Health Fundraising 2020

Out of all the things I have lost, I miss my mind the most. (Mark Twain)

The Situation

The Solution

1.9 million depression cases were reported in Kenya in 2015.
40& of patients admitted to Kenyan Health Facilities suffer from mental disorders.
There are 2 psychiatric doctors in Laikipia County Referral Hospital serving a population of 525,000.
Only 29 out of 284 Level 4 Hospitals in Kenya offer mental healthcare services.
It costs 3500 Kshs. daily to maintain one inpatient at Mathari National and Teaching Referral Hospital, Kenya’s foremost mental health facility.

mh1

St. Martin has developed a Community Based Health Care Model project running from April 2020 through to March 2025; this project aims to empower communities within St. Martin's areas of operation to care for their mentally afflicted. The project is based on a 2015 mental health baseline survey, and a 2 year Community-Based Mental Health Care Pilot project and builds on 20 years of experience in working with communities.

Objectives:

To encourage prevention by empowering communities to detect, mitigate, and manage early symptoms of mental illness.
To overcome stigma by positively influencing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of family and community members towards mental illness and people suffering from mental illness.
To empower volunteers and engage key stakeholders to implement community-based Mental Health Initiatives that promote the recovery and independence of people who have a mental illness.
To promote access to mental health services within WHO dimensions.

The Initiative

In 2019, the community started a 3-year fundraising initiative and was able to raise KES 1.1 million. For this year, the Local Fundraising Committee for a Community-Based Mental Health Care System set the target to KES 2.5 million. This target will be the contribution of the community to the overall budget and will allow serving even more mentally afflicted persons.

Costs per patient	KSH
Clinical Care (hospital visit, medication etc.)	16,000
Training of a volunteer to follow patients	9,500
Training of a caregiver or relative of a patient	6,500
Training of a patient in self-care and daily tasks	6,500
Business starter kit or farm inputs for a patient	28,000
Rehabilitation for drug-induced mental illness	124,000

You can contribute by

Buying raffle tickets - or donate a prize

Participating at our Luncheon
on 5th December 2020, 2 pm in the St. Martin Hall

Becoming a sponsor for a mental health patient

By contributing any amount through MPESA or
through the collection tins in selected supermarkets

mpesa

Find out more

Mental Health Fundraising 2020

: Created: 03 November 2020

What we do

Psychosocial support

psychosocial

People affected by drug abuse and mental illness struggle with various life challenges that puts pressure on the mental wellbeing. This is not limited only to those who are directly affected but also the significant others and other members of the family. The programme therefore adopted a household approach in offering counseling services including family therapy to ensure psychological wellness of the entire family. These services are offered under the auspices of the community counseling centre where the programme mobilizes counselors from the community who in turn offer free services to clients using St. Martin facilities.

Awarness creation

awarness raising

Reduce stigma – The programme creates awareness to members of the general community in churches, welfare groups and community barazas to sensitize the community about mental health.
Promote community support to affected individuals and households – We mobilize the community to support vulnerable beneficiaries to access treatment and meet their basic needs.
Promote preventive measures – We reach out to at risk populations including the youth to sensitize them to adopt protective and preventive measures to reduce the risk of drug abuse and mental illness.

Treatment and Rehabilitation

treatment

Owing to the high number of people already affected by drug abuse and mental illness who cannot access rehabilitation and treatment services. The project identifies the most vulnerable clients for support to access rehabilitation and medical treatment services. The objective of these support services is to restore the dignity and functionality of those people who cannot independently or with the help of relatives access the retreatment and rehabilitation services. This includes partial payment for psychiatric assessment, inpatient psychiatric treatment and residential drug rehabilitation. Furthermore, the programme implements a community based mental health programme where clients shall be offered outpatient addiction counseling, Intensive Outpatient Rehabilitation, peer support groups etc.

Advocacate for Child Protection

advocacy

The programme works with different stakeholders involved in child protection matters to advocate for child protection and resolve issues of violated children in a timely and child-inclusive manner in line with their best interests. The programme undertakes the following activities;

Educating the public through radio shows and awareness creation on matters of children
Collaborating with the government agencies and civil societies on activities that enhance the promotion of child rights
Working with local and national networks in the field of child protection.
Empowerment of direct beneficiaries by providing information on the existing initiatives by government and organization that provides for their rights.

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