When Dr. Dixon Chibanda lost a patient to suicide, he began a journey that eventually led to a mental healthcare revolution. As one of only five psychiatrists in all of Zimbabwe, a country traumatized by decades of conflict, Chibanda quickly realized that millions in his community were suffering from depression, substance abuse, and mental illness with no hope of receiving care. With fourteen strong-willed grandmothers as partners, Chibanda's group pioneered the Friendship Bench program, a community-driven initiative addressing loneliness, depression, and suicide by fostering intergenerational connectedness. Since then, more than 500,000 people around the world have sat on a park bench to share their personal stories with an empathic grandmother.
More than just Chibanda's story, The Friendship Bench is a primer on how human connection forms the bedrock of our resilience. It gives readers the building blocks to facilitate transformative moments for healing, personal growth, and forgiveness by reaching out to those who are struggling and disconnected from their communities. It's a case study of how interventions supported by robust scientific evidence can be simplified and made accessible for all.
