Mission

Our mission is for every person who is mentally ill and needy to have the opportunity to achieve his or her fullest potential to participate and contribute in all aspects of life towards development with full inclusion!

History

Supportive Activists Foundation (SAF) International Voluntary Mental Health Foundation is supporting people with mental ill health and advocating to address the stigma and lack of resources to mental health service in west Africa. Supportive Activists Foundation SAF was founded and officially registered as a mental health charity organization in the Gambia April 12th 2016. In 2017 the concept of the organization was shared and registered in Guinea Bissau named as Fundaceo de Activasta de Apoio (FAA). In Senegal Dakar we are named Voluntaries Assistance Malades Mentor (VAMM). Solomon Correa started SAF because he could see an increase in the number of people with mental ill health disorders walking the streets. It’s challenging not to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the suffering that is going on around us with stigma and discrimination victims without proper clothing’s, nutrition and support of care.

Volunteering for Mental Health Care & Support can be the change you can impact in your community, country, continent and the world at large Communities in the Gambia are faced with numerous, mental, neurological, and psychosocial disorders that undermine development. Based on the only nationwide survey (2004) prevalence rates from the World Mental Health Survey, it is estimated that approximately 27,000 people in the Gambia (or 3% of the population aged 15 years and more) is suffering from a severe mental disorder and a further 91,000 (or 10% of the population aged 15 years and more) are suffering from moderate to mild mental disorder. This means that at least 118,000 people in the Gambia (or 13% of the adult population) are likely to be affected by mental disorders which require varying degrees of treatment and care. There is a large gap between the numbers of people affected by a mental disorder and those receiving treatment. While the prevalence rate is estimated to be between 27,300 (severe disorders) and 91,000 for all mental disorders (WHO, World Mental Health Survey ,2004). There has been no other research or survey conducted since the HO,2004The maximum number of people receiving treatment in 2005 was estimated to be 3,278. In the years 2013 and 2018 there were approximately 1,207 and 1, 424 annual admissions respectively for treatment to the Tanka-Tanka Psychiatric Unit(TTPU) of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (EFSTH). We are Currently function in Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Gambia.

We currently have a team of 100 individuals working for SAF Mental Health Foundation. We are always in need of more committed volunteers who are passionate about reducing the stigma of mental illness in the Gambia. We have had to develop the ability, as a team of volunteers, to manage our emotions and focus our energy on breaking down the causes of the suffering and translate this into preventative interventions whilst also offering support to those that already have symptoms.

Objectives

To have a social inclusion strategy
To provide support to mentally disabled individuals
To reduce stigma or discrimination and to improve awareness via outreach and sensitization.
To strengthen informational database and research relevant to mental health
To improve on existing knowledge and evidence base patient care through conduction of research.
To care for the helpless and needy
To strengthen efforts and enhance quality services delivery to make it accessible and affordable to the general public.
To Advocate for people with mental illness

Programs

Our Programs include:

1. Home care support programme for people with mental illness.
2. School mental health Awareness
3. Community Mental health education program
4. Volunteers Capacity development training
5. Drama on mental health awareness

We are here to give support to people with mental illness and needy in the Gambia without proper clothing’s, care, and basic human needs.

Collaboration

SAF is proud to collaborate with the following organizations and is always eager to form further relationships in the community to facilitate the comprehensive and wraparound care for the needy.