Sam Gitonga

Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya

Basic Needs Basic Rights Kenya is a registered national Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that intervenes in mental health. Our main purpose is to support people with mental disorders, those at risk, and their caregivers to live and work successfully in their communities. We strive to ensure that they access basic rights by empowering their communities to provide care, social support and avert adversity to those affected or at risk. Since our inception, we have distinguished ourselves as a leader in health and development, particularly mental health in Kenya. To this end, we have developed a model for mental health and development which takes a holistic approach to mental health care comprising elements of capacity development, community mental health, livelihoods support, research and advocacy. This is informed by our belief that addressing mental wellbeing and illness goes beyond just health systems, given that mental wellbeing and illness themselves are not simply health issues, but have social and economic causes and effects. Our interventions thus focus on the clinical, economic, and social wellbeing of individuals, as well as the resilience and wellbeing of their communities, ultimately resulting in better outcomes for people with mental health problems.