Ndinewe Foundation

We aspire to see a world with optimal, personalised mental health treatment plans for young people.  Ndinewe’s model is called Mental Health in the Zimbabwean Context. The model is concerned with defining mental health and its experiences from a Zimbabwean perspective, a perspective that reflects a Zimbabwean’s orientation to the meaning of life, the world and relationships with others and oneself. We provide mental health education in predominantly youth spaces such as: music and arts festivals, sports tournaments, high schools, and universities. We focus on what will make the most difference in Zimbabwe’s mental health field and improve the lives of people with mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Research is a fundamental pillar for the organization which makes us experts in advocacy, delivering mental health education and creating effective mental health interventions. We collaborate with the Zimbabwean government, mental health advocates, practitioners, national organizations, people with lived experiences, funders, researchers, and international stakeholders to design and set up mental health initiatives that will promote mental health awareness. In July 2022 we launched our first Mental Health Booklet titled "Understanding Mental Health" which seeks to educate young people about mental health, its risk factors, warning signs and coping mechanisms. The booklet has been endorsed by Allied Health Practitioners Council Zimbabwe, which has the mandate through the Health Professions Act (Chapter 27.19) to regulate allied health practitioners. We work in Harare Province and provide mental health support through monthly support groups to create a sense of connectedness. We aim to give young people the opportunity to be with other young people who are likely to have a common purpose and likely to understand one another. Ndinewe seeks to create an environment that is non-judgemental, filled with acceptance and empathy. Additionally, we use sports tournaments to mobilise young people for mental health and substance abuse awareness campaigns through poetry. Furthermore, we designed a mental health education course to empower young people to act in the mental health space. The course focuses on mental health awareness, advocacy and project creation, addressing mental health myths, stigma and obstacles. One of our 2022 alumni proceeded to publish a mental health article in a youth magazine. The Ndinewe team is made up of vibrant young people who receive capacity building in leadership, programming, and mental health support. Ndinewe has become a safe space for young people in Zimbabwe.