Sarmita works high in the Himalayas as a Female Community Health Volunteer (FCHV) and has done for over 14 years. She loves her work and said “when I started in this position, I was very shy and did not know what to expect and wondered if people would take me seriously? Over the years we realised we could make a difference to people’s lives and now I am more confident. I am proud of being an FCHV, of being known and being trusted within my community”.

Sarmita’s role is to work with mothers and babies raising awareness on immunisation and general healthcare.“We see a lot of mothers who become frustrated and very sad after having a baby. Some are very young and inexperienced. We would really like to know how to help them; we are respected, and people let us into their houses. We know we can make a difference, but we need further training to support people”.

Just £5 per month will help provide life-changing mental health training to FCHVs like Sarmita. This will bring the knowledge and understanding of mental health conditions, diagnosis, and care. Your support will empower these vital women to provide mental health support to their communities and help raise their status as healthcare volunteers.Regular direct debits provide predictable income and help us train and empower more FCHVs, health assistants and nurses across South Asia.In many parts of South Asia, there are no mental health professionals for the community to turn to. Conditions such as post-natal depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, remain undiagnosed and put huge pressure on families who struggle to care for their loved one with no support. Often women stop work and girls stop going to school so that they can care for family members with mental illness.

With your help, we can change this! Support Jaya Mental Health with a monthly direct debit and empower healthcare workers in South Asia to support the mental health of their communities!