Friendship Benches

There’s a tradition in Zimbabwe of grandmothers and elders using their wisdom and sensitivity to listen and help those who have problems.  Dixon Chibanda a professor of psychiatry revived this tradition, adapting it to contemporary life. He trained people to be like the pillar of knowledge the grandmothers were, trained them to listen and help. The result is a new way to deliver mental health in cultures and places where it is not accessible or where it is too costly for many. Friendship benches are now in parks, near churches, open spaces, poor neighborhoods, community clinics, universities…places where people come and sit and share. The approach has now spread to several countries, Vietnam, Botswana, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, and is in the early stages of being in London. Chibanda’s amazing approach has received international praise, even in the United States. In New York City the idea of Friendship Benches has inspired its mental health plan to incorporate it to combat social isolation. There are friendship benches in Brooklyn, Harlem and the Bronx. In Washington D.C. HelpAge USA is exploring the idea of using grandmothers.  20 have been trained and benches will be placed in schools, churches and community centers.  So often mental health treatments still fight so much stigma, it makes the forgotten experience and knowledge of our elders an even richer resource.