Depression affects millions of people in Africa each year, yet many lack access to care. StrongMinds, led by founder and CEO Sean Mayberry and Chief Development Officer Cat Lukach, was created to close that gap through scalable, community-based therapy. The organization delivers group talk therapy across Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi, using a World Health Organization–endorsed model of interpersonal group therapy that has been adapted for both youth and adults.

Through years of fieldwork, the team found that conventional clinical approaches—often imported from Western contexts—were ill-suited for African communities and too expensive to scale. In response, StrongMinds is developing African-centered diagnostic tools and exploring biomarkers and other methods to improve accuracy and accessibility alongside delivery models rooted in community infrastructure. Programs now reach adolescents aged 12 and up who are both in and out of school, and are led by trained teachers, volunteers, and community health workers rather than outside clinicians.

Their work includes:

• Running in-school and out-of-school group therapy programs for adolescents.
• Training teachers, volunteers, and health workers to lead group sessions.
• Partnering with national and district governments to integrate mental health into education and health systems.
• Operating an innovation lab to test new ideas and refine program delivery, including research on single-session interventions.

StrongMinds has treated nearly 1.5 million people, including several hundred thousand youth. In Uganda, its advocacy helped influence a policy requiring all public schools to dedicate one hour a week to mental health. Teachers who facilitate therapy groups report calmer classrooms, improved relationships with students, and greater awareness of depression within their schools and communities.

Mayberry and Lukach note continuing challenges tied to Western clinical standards such as the PHQ-9 screening tool and randomized controlled trials, which can limit flexibility and divert resources from care. Despite funding pressures and systemic constraints, the organization continues to evolve its approach, which is grounded in innovation and local ownership.