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.

💚 Su***de Prevention Month Reminder: You are not alone.Friendship Bench Zimbabwe offers free, confidential, and anonymou...
03/09/2025

💚 Su***de Prevention Month Reminder: You are not alone.

Friendship Bench Zimbabwe offers free, confidential, and anonymous talk therapy to help you through difficult moments.

📩 Reach out today – we believe one conversation can save a life.

***dePreventionMonth

✨Friendship Bench Zimbabwe partnered with General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union to strengthen workplace menta...
02/09/2025

✨Friendship Bench Zimbabwe partnered with General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union to strengthen workplace mental health!

👩🏾‍🌾👨🏾‍🌾 13 GAPWUZ employees took part in a capacity-building training designed to equip them with mental health knowledge and practical skills.

📚 Over two days, participants engaged in highly interactive sessions on:
✔️ Creating safe spaces
✔️ Expressing empathy & non-verbal communication
✔️ Understanding common mental health disorders
✔️ Stress & burnout in the workplace
✔️ Su***de awareness & prevention
✔️ Problem-solving and behaviour modification

💚 Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, brought mental health to the h...
01/09/2025

💚 Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, brought mental health to the heart of Bulawayo!

On 27 August, we joined a community mobilisation event in the Bulawayo CBD, with our role being to raise awareness on issues to do with mental health, de-stigmatise mental health, and offer free psychoeducation and mental health screenings.

🤝 Alongside likeminded partners - NAC, Grassroots, Council for the Blind, Mental Health in Action, Haven’s Core, and Youth in Action we reached hundreds with life skills training, eye care, mental health sensitisation, and drug & substance abuse awareness.

✨ Every Bench formed, every conversation held, and every screening conducted takes us one step closer to realising our mission which is to get people out of depression.

29/08/2025

The youth are the future - but without prioritising their mental wellbeing, that future is at risk. 💛

Ignoring youth mental health means ignoring the dreams, potential, and resilience of an entire generation. At Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, we believe every young person deserves a safe space to be heard, supported, and empowered.

💬 From one wooden bench in Harare, Zimbabwe, to a movement that has spread across all 10 provinces and into 370+ health ...
28/08/2025

💬 From one wooden bench in Harare, Zimbabwe, to a movement that has spread across all 10 provinces and into 370+ health facilities, Friendship Bench Zimbabwe has become a lifeline of hope and healing. 💛

Today, this homegrown idea has also reached 12 countries worldwide, showing that a simple conversation can change lives everywhere. 🌍✨

🚀 Official Launch!Friendship Bench Zimbabwe in partnership with AMARI - II, is pleased to announce the launch of the gr...
26/08/2025

🚀 Official Launch!

Friendship Bench Zimbabwe in partnership with AMARI - II, is pleased to announce the launch of the groundbreaking Your Mind at Work (YoMind@Work) project! Led by Tiny Tinashe Kamvura as part of his doctoral studies with the University of Zimbabwe, YouMind@Work will pioneer workplace mental health solutions.

To kickstart the project, we brought together experts from various fields including corporates, government, NGOs and medical institutions to a Theory of Change workshop to share best practices based on practical experiences - a collaborative step in shaping workplace mental health solutions using a human centred design perspective.

Under this project, we will utilize Friendship Bench mental health supporters to deliver workplace interventions that promote well-being, resilience, and productivity within organisations.

💡Did you know?
25/08/2025

💡Did you know?

21/08/2025

🤝✨ Partnering for Youth Mental Health! ✨🤝

Friendship Bench Zimbabwe has joined ActionAid Zimbabwe to empower young people in Hopley with critical mental health skills! 🎉

Friendship Bench Zimbabwe successfully trained 20 youth volunteers under the Action Aid Zimbabwe DTV project using the FB In A Box approach. These amazing champions are now equipped with skills in:
✔️ Creating Safe Spaces 🛋️
✔️ Active Listening & Empathy 💬💙
✔️ Screening for Anxiety & Depression 🧠

By investing in our youth, we are building stronger, healthier communities where young people can support one another, spark meaningful conversations, and promote mental well-being for all. 🌍💚

👏🏽 A huge thank you to ActionAid Zimbabwe and our new mental health advocates who will help us bring to reality the vision of having a Friendship Bench Within Walking Distance for All!

18/08/2025

When research informs action, communities thrive. Beatrice briefly explains how Friendship Bench Zimbabwe uses evidence to improve and grow our work.

07/08/2025

🎉 Exciting News for Friendship Bench! 🎉

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Esther Tumbare as our new Chief Executive Officer! In this video, she shares her vision, passion for mental health, and what the future holds for Friendship Bench.

Join us in extending a warm welcome as we continue with our mission of getting people out of depression by bringing community-based mental health support to those in need of it.

Friendship Bench Appoints Dr. Esther Tumbare As Chief Executive Officer
06/08/2025

Friendship Bench Appoints Dr. Esther Tumbare As Chief Executive Officer

Address

4 Weale Road
Harare

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

Telephone

+263715191738

Website

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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").