A novel therapeutic approach is addressing the lack of mental health care in Zimbabwe by reviving an age-old tradition. Seniors trained in problem-solving therapy are seated on benches in serene areas of churches and community clinics, ready to offer one-on-one conversations and a listening ear.
This strategy draws on a Zimbabwean custom where grandmothers served as trusted advisors during difficult times. However, with modern technology, the breakdown of extended families, and urbanization, this tradition had all but disappeared.
The idea emerged from a tragedy. In 2005, Dixon Chibanda, one of only twelve psychiatrists in Zimbabwe at the time, faced a heartbreaking situation. A patient wanted to see him but couldn’t afford the fifteen-dollar bus fare. Later, he learned that she had taken her own life. This tragic event inspired him to recruit and train 14 grandmothers from the local community near his hospital in Harare.
“Grandmothers are the custodians of local culture and wisdom. They are deeply rooted in their communities. They don’t leave, and they have an amazing ability to use what we call ’empathic listening.’ Their ability to make people feel respected and understood is why we focus on grandmothers,” explains Dixon Chibanda.
The method, pioneered in Zimbabwe, is now being implemented in the United States. Orange benches have appeared in places like the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Harlem. HelpAge USA is testing the concept in Washington through the DC Grandparents for Mental Health program, which started in 2022 as a COVID-19 support group for those 60 and older.
“This is the first time an intervention of this nature has been used, particularly offering therapy on public wooden benches and involving grandmothers. We are the pioneers of this approach and are replicating the model in different parts of the world,” says Chibanda.
In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, the network now includes over 2,000 grandmothers across Zimbabwe. “More and more people are embracing this initiative, and the stigma is disappearing. When we walk around with our bright t-shirts, people are no longer ashamed or afraid to stop us openly to talk. Mental health is no longer a subject of shame,” says Siridzai Dzukwa, a Friendship Bench grandmother.
In 2023 alone, more than 200,000 Zimbabweans received treatment from these trained grandmothers, highlighting the significant impact and acceptance of this grassroots mental health initiative.
Source: AfricaNews
