Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke-Herald Correspondent
THE Friendship Bench yesterday appointed Dr Esther Tumbare as its new chief executive, a move aimed at expanding organisational efforts to make mental health care more accessible.
Dr Tumbare, who officially assumes the top post this month, said she was excited and honoured to lead an organisation that has become a global model for community-driven mental health solutions.
“Increasing access to mental health services for our communities is extremely important,” she said.
“There’s so much going on in the world right now and in our own communities, poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, all of which cause stress, anxiety and depression.”
Founded in 2006 by psychiatrist, Dr Dixon Chibanda, Friendship Bench has transformed the mental health landscape through an innovative, but traditional approach that trains elderly women to provide problem-solving therapy on community benches.
Dr Tumbare said the initiative has proved that everyday people, with the right training, can offer life-changing support.
“We realised that we don’t have enough psychiatrists and trained nurses to reach everyone,” she said.
“So we train lay people to provide problem-solving therapy, a process where you sit down with someone, talk through what you’re going through, and find your own solutions.”
She added that the organisation has achieved remarkable success by involving grandmothers.
“Grandmothers have lived experience. They’ve gone through tough times and know how to remain calm and nurturing,” she said.
The Friendship Bench model, born from Zimbabwe’s community spirit, has since gained global recognition, extending its reach to the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and El Salvador, among other countries.
Dr Chibanda said the Friendship Bench tackles not only mental illness but also addresses the social roots of distress, such as gender-based violence, poverty, and chronic illness.
“Mental health issues are often linked to social determinants like intimate partner violence or living with HIV,” he said.
“That is why we empower communities through support groups and income-generating projects, gardening, poultry, and baking.
“Grandmothers are the custodians of our culture and wisdom. They are reliable, empathetic, and rooted in their communities.”
To date, Friendship Bench has trained about 3 000 grandmothers nationwide, with 2 000 active in providing therapy and another 1 000 engaged in community mobilisation.
