Friendship Bench - Zimbabwe

Friendship Bench - Zimbabwe Friendship Bench Zimbabwe is an evidence-based mental health intervention. We provide free talk therapy. We are a member of the Friendship Bench global network.

Friendship Bench provides free mental health and psychosocial support for people struggling with mild to moderate mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Working with community health workers trained in problem-solving therapy and behavioural activation we are bridging the mental health treatment gap in Zimbabwe and beyond. The talk therapy intervention is accessible at primary care clinics as well as via WhatsApp so it is widely accessible.

🔊Impact Report ALERT!Every conversation matters. Every life touched is a step toward a mentally healthier Zimbabwe. Frie...
24/10/2025

🔊Impact Report ALERT!

Every conversation matters. Every life touched is a step toward a mentally healthier Zimbabwe. Friendship Bench Zimbabwe continues to bridge the gap between need and care, empowering thousands to find hope, healing, and connection through our foot soldiers The Friendship Bench Grandmothers and digital platforms. 🌿

Discover the stories and impact behind the numbers in our latest Impact Report: 🔗https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o9kvXvMlTMDGelmREgfBn8F8W5eXKRdR/view?usp=share_link

We are almost there! 🌻At Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, we have now supported 925 000 clients and we are just 75,000 convers...
22/10/2025

We are almost there! 🌻

At Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, we have now supported 925 000 clients and we are just 75,000 conversations away from our 1 millionth client. Each of these individuals represent a story of hope, healing, and human connection. 💛

Every conversation on the Bench brings us closer to a world where opening up is strength and mental wellbeing is for everyone.

Wellness Without Limits - a dynamic space that brought together experts from sport, nutrition, art, neuropsychology and ...
20/10/2025

Wellness Without Limits - a dynamic space that brought together experts from sport, nutrition, art, neuropsychology and psychiatry to explore holistic approaches to well-being. 🌿One of the ground pillars of the Friendship Bench is self-care. To drive our advocacy work further, our founder, Prof. Dixon Chibanda, shared insights on the intersection between mental health and overall wellness using lessons drawn from over two decades with the Friendship Bench.

Driving the conversation further, our CEO Dr. Esther Tumbare engaged thought leaders, health experts, and private sector players throughout the event exploring avenues of scaling mental health support across Zimbabwe. 💬🧠

✨✨Friendship Bench has been healing communities for close to two decades! In the face of immense uncertainty in the deve...
16/10/2025

✨✨Friendship Bench has been healing communities for close to two decades! In the face of immense uncertainty in the development space over the last few months, the need for mental health support exponentially grew. Through our dedicated team and delivering agents we have been able to provide more support to over 950,000 people, a cause for celebration. To the Friendship Bench team and our entire ecosystem of friends, partners, and donors, we say thank you 💬💛
Together, we continue to grow, connect, and create impact.

✨✨Friendship Bench is excited to share our feature in the African Collaborative report, “Fuelling Transformation”, which...
15/10/2025

✨✨Friendship Bench is excited to share our feature in the African Collaborative report, “Fuelling Transformation”, which highlights our collective growth and achievements as a grantee under their portfolio. This report tests a bold hypothesis: that flexible, trust-based funding and giving African-led organizations the power to lead unlocks greater, sustainable impact.

Read and download the full report: http://bit.ly/3KCuOHd
@ https://www.linkedin.com/company/african-collaborative/
://instagram.com/africancollab

🌍 World Mental Health Day 2025 🌿This year’s theme “Access to Service: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies” rem...
10/10/2025

🌍 World Mental Health Day 2025 🌿

This year’s theme “Access to Service: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies” reminds us that mental health support must remain accessible, especially when communities face crises and uncertainty. 💚

At Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, we continue to bring hope and healing through our community-based model, reaching over 950,000 people to date with evidence-based mental health care across Zimbabwe .
In recognition of this important day, we are excited to host a Mental Health Wellness Expo tomorrow, a celebration of resilience, connection, and wellbeing. 🌼
🗓️ Date: 11 October, 2025
📍 Venue: 9 Avon Rise, Mount Pleasant, Harare
💰 Entry: By donation
Join us as we strengthen access to care, promote mental wellbeing, and stand together for communities in need. 💬✨

✨ A New Chapter at Friendship Bench! ✨With the presence of our Board Members Kanini Mutooni, Maria Shipiri, Josh Mhanga,...
10/10/2025

✨ A New Chapter at Friendship Bench! ✨

With the presence of our Board Members Kanini Mutooni, Maria Shipiri, Josh Mhanga, Tracy Mambo, Friends, Donors, and Partners of the Friendship Bench, we celebrated the onboarding of our new CEO Dr. Esther Tumbare and the transition of our Founder Dixon Chibanda as he steps into his role as Global Lead and Advisor to the Friendship Bench.

This transition comes at a pivotal time in our journey as we cement our commitment to advancing affordable, adaptable, and scalable mental health support - empowering communities, and driving meaningful impact across Zimbabwe signified by the 950,000 lives impacted to date.

Under Dr. Esther’s leadership, we look forward to realizing our Vision of Having a Friendship Bench Within Walking Distance For All

🌍 This October, as we mark World Mental Health Day under the theme “Mental health in humanitarian emergencies”, we are r...
03/10/2025

🌍 This October, as we mark World Mental Health Day under the theme “Mental health in humanitarian emergencies”, we are reminded that everyone deserves access to care, support, and healing.

At Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, we celebrate the incredible grandmothers who make this right a reality in communities across Zimbabwe. 💛 Sitting on a simple wooden bench, they provide a safe space for people to talk, to be heard, and to find hope.

Their wisdom and compassion remind us that mental health truly begins in the heart of the community.

Join us at the Friendship Bench Hub for our Wellness Expo! 🌿✨Experience a morning filled with movement, mindfulness, and...
02/10/2025

Join us at the Friendship Bench Hub for our Wellness Expo! 🌿✨

Experience a morning filled with movement, mindfulness, and meaningful conversations from energizing runs and calming yoga sessions to insightful mental wellness talks and Family constellation experiences.

Let’s celebrate holistic wellbeing together and take steps toward a healthier mind and body.

📍 Location: Friendship Bench Hub, 9 Avon Rise, Mount Pleasant, Harare

🗓 Date: 11 October, 2025
⏰ Time: 07:00AM

🚀 Exciting Opportunity!Friendship Bench Zimbabwe is looking for an IT Volunteer to join our team. This role is perfect f...
29/09/2025

🚀 Exciting Opportunity!

Friendship Bench Zimbabwe is looking for an IT Volunteer to join our team. This role is perfect for someone eager to sharpen their skills, gain hands-on experience, and contribute to a mission that champions community mental health.

If you are ready to make an impact while growing your career in IT, we would love to hear from you! Apply today and be part of the vision to have a Friendship Bench Within Walking Distance For All!

FAQ - How do you ensure delivering agents do not forget skills taught❓ Our answer - Refresher trainings, an important bu...
29/09/2025

FAQ - How do you ensure delivering agents do not forget skills taught❓

Our answer - Refresher trainings, an important bucket under the Friendship Bench framework. We recently conducted a refresher training for our Openliners to ensure that they are adequately equipped to support you through our virtual platforms!

If you or someone you know needs support, do not hesitate to reach out on 078 484 5294 for Free, Anonymous and Confidential talk therapy.💚

Good mental health requires physical activity🏃🏽‍♂️🏋🏾 From the starting line to the 🏁 , we were there to support, connect...
26/09/2025

Good mental health requires physical activity🏃🏽‍♂️🏋🏾

From the starting line to the 🏁 , we were there to support, connect, and uplift all the runners who took part in the ZB Marathon this past weekend. Massive congratulations to ZB Financial Holdings for creating spaces for health to thrive and to all the runners for taking a bold step in prioritizing their health!🌍🧠

Address

4 Weale Road
Harare
<<NOT-APPLICABLE>>

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 16:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 16:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 16:00
Thursday 09:00 - 16:00
Friday 09:00 - 13:00

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+263715191738

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Our Story

The Friendship Bench Project reduces the mental health treatment gap by using a cognitive behavioural therapy based approach at local clinics to address kufungisisa. The mental intervention for depression and anxiety is accessible in all primary care clinics in Gweru, Chitungwiza and Harare. Kufungisisa, the local term for depression, is literally translated into “thinking too much”. Individual problem solving therapy is offered from a specifically trained lay health worker (locally known as "Ambuya Utano").