Greetings! Happy September!

Mental health remains one of the greatest unmet health care needs in slums across the world, yet it often receives the least attention. Working alongside our clinical partners, we have integrated mental health into our primary health care programs in Zambia rather than treating it as a separate issue. 

 

Two of our programs address this need. First, our community-based mental health program, launched last year, continues to expand, providing counseling, referrals, and ongoing support to adults struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, and other mental health challenges. Second, children participate in our “Safe Park” program which is open to all children from the community. On Saturday mornings, 70-80 children join us for organized play and educational workshops. While the children play, learn, and simply enjoy being children, parents and caregivers have conversations with our healthcare team asking questions about health (mental and physical), education, and information/referrals about other organizations they can connect with for a specific issue. In addition, older students who once attended “Safe Park” return as mentors for the next generation. Communities become stronger when yesterday's children become tomorrow's leaders.

 

Both programs, have become valuable assets for the community. Your support, in the areas of healthcare, and education keeps children in school, families healthy, stabilizes incomes, and grows leaders and entrepreneurs. We are seeing this every day on the ground. And as always, every dollar you donate goes directly to our programs—none is used for overhead costs.

 

Your friends at the Power of Love Foundation