Psychological Support
The foundation of PHOEBE’s work is to provide psychological support services to women with mental health conditions. We have a Memorandum of Understanding from the Ministry of Health and maintain ongoing partnerships with Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals ANNEXE and Harare Central Hospital Psychiatric Unit. Working alongside healthcare professionals in these institutions allows us to advocate for women and ensure they receive quality, person-centred care.
At a community level, we provide counselling sessions both individually and in groups at our centre, depending on the needs of the individual. A key part of our work is engaging caregivers, usually women, who often face the burden of caring for someone who is shunned by the community and are at risk of isolation, poverty and exhaustion. PHOEBE supports these individuals by helping them to understand mental health and demystifying common stereotypes surrounding mental illness. We help caregivers to feel less alone, and provide advice on how to cater to the needs of their loved ones.
“I am a caregiver to my brother and I started working with PHOEBE in 2019. My brother got ill that same year and the Organisation helped me a lot in terms of how to take care of him, understanding his needs and being able to advocate for him where there is need to. Now that I know about mental health and challenges, I understand that, I was abusing him due to lack of knowledge, I used not to listen to him and taming him as crazy. Now I understand that the illness is the same as High Blood Pressure which requires one to regulate their blood pressure through medication and diet. I now
understand they deserve to be treated like anyone else in the house that is good clothing and plates and without any stereotypes attached to people with mental health illnesses. They deserve to be heard and not to be forced into things they are not comfortable doing.”
Anaishe, Caregiver
Our Women Recovery Project is a community based outreach program, providing advice and resources to women with mental health conditions. This work helps to ensure women are living fulfilled lives in society, and includes helping beneficiaries to generate income for themselves and their families. through start-up capital and skills training programs.
“PHOEBE has also empowered us as women with different projects, now we have our small businesses – I personally have a market where I sell fresh and dried fruit and vegetables. I can safely say I have a stable income through PHOEBE”
Anaishe, Caregiver
“We have had skills training programs where we were taught on how to make all forms of detergents as well as perfumes, now I am able to make the products and sell in my community”
Natalia, Expert by Experience
