Impact partner profile

StrongMinds

Ending the depression epidemic in Africa

Est. since

2013

Location of HQ

515 Valley Street, Suite 200 Maplewood, NJ 07040, United States of America

Partnership date with Thankyou

September 2020

Area of focus

Mental Health

Regions

Uganda and Zambia

Website

strongminds.org

StrongMinds exists to deliver life-changing mental healthcare to African women. Founded in 2013, the organisation has provided a simple, proven, and cost-effective group talk therapy to approximately 230,000 women and adolescents in Uganda and Zambia, positively transforming their psychological health, economic well-being, and the lives of their children.

An estimated 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression. In Africa, where women experience the disorder at twice the rate of men, depression is a leading cause of disability. When an African woman is depressed, her economic livelihood, resilience, and physical health diminish. Her children suffer from poorer school attendance and an increased risk of depression, illness, and injury. In underserved communities in Uganda and Zambia, StrongMinds finds depression prevalence rates of up to 25% among the women we screen. Yet, the services to treat these women are not in place. 

StrongMinds’ solution is an innovative and rigorously tested therapeutic model to treat depression in vulnerable African communities. The model uses Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT-G) in a culturally adapted format delivered by local laypeople and volunteers. On average, over 80% of the women StrongMinds treats recover from depression at the conclusion of therapy and remain depression-free six months after treatment ends. These results are sustained years into their future.

Exponential growth is needed to end the depression epidemic in Africa. Over the past ten years, StrongMinds has built a robust program that demonstrates the efficacy of their methods and their ability to expand geographically and minimise costs. They have established winning partnerships with proven impact and significant return on investment. The organisation is now poised to scale their model through sustainable partnerships with governments and international non-governmental organisations, broadening the lasting social impact that is seen when women regain their mental health.

Yearly, StrongMinds serves over 100,000 women and adolescents, furthering their mission to end the depression epidemic in Africa.

Core impact goals

Increased reach

StrongMinds aim to increase treatment provided to African women suffering from depression (as measured by the total number of patients treated per year).

Increase in depression-free patients

StrongMinds has a goal of increasing the percentage of treated patients who are depression-free after completing therapy. This is the percentage of patients showing a reduction in depressive symptoms to the level that they can no longer be diagnosed as depressed.

Decrease in depression scores

StrongMinds are aiming to see an average reduction in depression scores among treated patients as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Depression Screening Tool.

Type of grant funding given

428,333 *AUD

*Unrestricted Grants funded from October 2020 to December 2023
Treat 165,000 low-income and/or vulnerable clients suffering from depression (100,000 in Uganda, 50,000 in Zambia and 15,000 in other African countries), utilising StrongMinds teletherapy and in-person group therapy approaches. This target includes 92,500 patients reached via scale partners, for example, other NGOs and governments, to directly implement the StrongMinds approach, with technical guidance and support provided by the StrongMinds team.

2023 represented the biggest year for StrongMinds, treating a total of 239,672 clients. They reached 162,059 clients in Uganda, 69,414 in Zambia while reaching 8,199 through other global scale partners.

StrongMinds expects to see an average reduction in depression score from baseline to endline as measured by the PHQ-9 (after 6 months): StrongMinds led groups: 12 points. Peer Facilitator (volunteer) led groups: 10 points. Partner-led groups: 8 points

Across their entire portfolio (inclusive of partners), StrongMinds achieved an average reduction in depression score in their clients of 11.9 points, and 12.1 points after 6 months.

Reduce the cost-per-patient (CPP) value from $74 in 2022 to $64 in 2023.

StrongMinds has achieved a cost-per-patient figure of USD $40 due to its scaling strategies, which include shifting its focus from direct implementation to training and supervising partners, who will subsequently implement and scale its model in new areas.

Raise $10.5M (as part of the $30M goal for 2022-2024) in philanthropic capital from existing and new funding streams, including private foundations, individual donors, and bilateral/multilateral grants.

StrongMinds has raised USD $10,536,336 in 2023.

Treat 65,000 low-income and/or vulnerable clients suffering from depression, utilizing StrongMinds teletherapy and in-person group therapy approaches. This includes 34,500 patients reached via scale partners, for example, other NGOs and governments to directly implement the StrongMinds approach, with technical guidance and support provided by the StrongMinds team.

In 2022, StrongMinds (SM) treated a total of 107,470 patients—a significant increase from the 42,482 patients SM served in 2021 (153% increase).

Clients reached in Uganda totalled more than 82K (more than doubling our 2021 reach of 35K) and nearly half of that figure derived from SM government partnership where Ministry of Health volunteer health workers treated over 38K depression sufferers. Teletherapy in Uganda continues to play an important role, where more than 10K clients were reached on the phone.

In Zambia, SM treated nearly 25K as they saw a massive increase from the 2021 figure of about 6K—with peer facilitators reaching well over 16K clients. SM cumulative reach since starting operations in 2014 and through 2022 is nearly 230K.

StrongMinds expects to see an average reduction in depression score from baseline to endline as measured by the PHQ-9 (after 6 months): StrongMinds led groups: 12 points. Peer Facilitator (volunteer) led groups: 10 points. Partner-led groups: 8 points.

StrongMinds did not conduct externally collected data from the independent data survey agencies (usually run two weeks and six months after the program ends). The use of independent data agencies is a practice SM implemented in 2014/2015 when they determined that staff-collected data from clients was possibly inflated due to social desirability bias. In order to prevent this same error in the future, SM will ensure their M&E teams are trained on the importance of the independent data collection step and methodology while having strong and stable leadership support. SM will also implement a periodic data audit that reviews data collection efforts to ensure all procedures are in place and being adhered to. They will also conduct the 6-month, post-program implementation, externally evaluated study for 2022's cohort in June 2023.

See a reduction of the cost-per-patient (CPP) value from $146 in 2021 to $105 in 2022.

While continuing to streamline its model StrongMinds achieved a cost-per-patient of $74 in 2022.

Raise $7.5M (as part of the $30M goal for 2022-2024) in philanthropic capital from existing and new funding streams, including private foundations, individual donors, and bilateral/multilateral grants.

StrongMinds exceeded the target of $7.5M by 30% and raised $9.45M in 2022. Individual giving increased by 105% and comprised 43% of all funds raised, an increase from 27% in 2021.

Funds raised from foundation grants increased while the total number of foundations funding StrongMinds decreased, which is consistent with SM's strategy to increase fundraising efficiency.

Using phone-based teletherapy, StrongMinds will provide free group interpersonal therapy to 11,000 marginalised and low-income individuals in Uganda and Zambia who suffer from depression and anxiety.

StrongMinds treated 11,390 patients in Uganda and Zambia, exceeding their goal of 11,000 patients treated. The patients treated includes 7,765 individuals suffering from depression treated through teletherapy and 3,625 patients treated through an adapted version of peer therapy groups and in-person therapy.

Have 75% of clients who complete therapy (attending at least five out of eight sessions) report clinically significant improvements in their symptoms, as measured by a reduction of five or more points on the PHQ-9 scale.

85% of clients are depression-free, and 98% of clients report they would recommend StrongMinds’ teletherapy to a friend or family member.

Complete a mass, multimedia psycho-education campaign that reaches five million Ugandans and Zambians and consists of radio spots, video, and social media promotion, to help the public understand the symptoms and causes of depression and anxiety.

StrongMinds created a series of five videos on the triggers and symptoms of depression that have received over 100,000 views. StrongMinds has also built and launched a WhatsApp chatbot to provide information and virtual support for depression with over 5,000 users, aired more than 1,300 radio spots in nine different languages in Uganda and Zambia that reached 16 million listeners, and appeared on 11 radio and television talk shows.

Formalise at least four new partnerships with medium/large sized NGOs with long-term health impact.

Over the past year, StrongMinds has collaborated with seven NGO partners. They are also in several conversations with medium/large NGOs, who have reached out to StrongMinds for potential collaboration. These partnerships will create opportunities to grow their treatment model among service providers further, reaching more depressed women in need.

Achieved
Achieved
On-track
Milestone on-track for completion within specified timeframe, outside of Thankyou’s grant period.
Mostly achieved
>90%+ milestone completion.
Partially achieved
Milestone <90% completed within grant period.
Delayed
Milestone delayed, not completed within grant period.

Impact Reports

StrongMinds FY2021 Impact Report StrongMinds FY2022 Impact Report

Find out more

StrongMinds Financials StrongMinds Reports StrongMinds Model
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