The Mission of KOSHISH is:
- To empower mental health service users and their families to advocate for better treatment as is their right
- To formulate plans, establish programs and execute rights-based awareness and advocacy targeted at the grassroots community, top level government, and bi-lateral and multi-lateral agencies
- To monitor and evaluate treatment services for quality and accessibility for users and families.
KOSHISH is a national, non-governmental, non-profit, self-help organization which works in mental health issue in Nepal. The organization started to work informally in the mental health sector from 2004. It was formally registered in the year 2008 in Kathmandu District Administrative Office (registration number 086/065) with the approval of the Nepal Social Welfare Council (registration number 25676).
KOSHISH takes a twin track approach, carrying out advocacy and awareness programs as well as service delivery simultaneously. These programs take a public-private partnership approach to mental health services and advocacy for mental health prevention, promotion and protection.
Community Based Mental Health Program:
Mental Health Action Program (mhGAP)
KOSHISH follows the Mental Health Action Program (mhGAP) model developed by the World Health Organization to ensure mental health services are available in the primary health care sector and to increase the service seeking behavior of people with mental health problems. KOSHISH has a pilot project providing mental health out-patient services, medication service and psychosocial counseling in its working areas in collaboration with local government and community hospitals.
Self-Help and Peer Support Group
Persons with mental health problems are encouraged to form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to discuss their issues. The groups are run by them and for them. With this objective, SHGs are in operation in our working areas for their empowerment through livelihood support, self advocacy and medication services. Peer support is also a key model activity of this program in which persons with mental health problems gather to share knowledge & experience and provide emotional, social and practical support to each other.
Emergency Support
KOSHISH has been offering emergency relief support for abandoned women with mental health problems which aims to rescue, provide treatment and finally facilitate reintegration in their family and community.
Advocacy and Awareness Program
KOSHISH has been advocating for the policy update, amendment of discriminatory laws, formulation of laws in line in Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other human rights standard and for its effective implementation. KOSHISH is the voice of the persons with psycho-social disability/mental health problems, and it advocates with the concerned stakeholders and government bodies to ensure their rights and to integrate mental health in the primary health system in Nepal. KOSHISH runs a Community Radio Program which is broadcasted in different radio stations to help increase awareness about mental health and well-being. Awareness programs have been carried out in the different colleges to internalize the issue of mental health and to build a network for collective campaigning in the mental health sector. Similarly, awareness programs have also been carried out to sensitize and to apply political pressure to concerned stakeholders.
Get Involved
You can also be a part of KOSHISH by:
- Being a KOSHISH volunteer
- Getting involved in our campaigns
- Providing financial assistance for program activities
Koshish National Mental Health Self-Help Organization
GPO Box No. 8975, EPC 2706, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Ministry of Health & Population
- Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare
- National Human Right Commission
- National Women Commission
