By Nepal Youth Foundation | Project Leader
Namaste from Nepal Youth Foundation!
As we approach the two-year anniversary of our Community Mental Health (CMH) program, launched in July 2023 in partnership with Ward 22 of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, we’re proud to highlight one of its most impactful components: our monthly mental health desks, or Man Chautari.
Mental health problems are very common across Nepal—but awareness and understanding of mental wellness remain extremely low, even in urban centers like Lalitpur. Cultural stigma, lack of education, and limited access to services prevent many people from seeking help. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health crises spiked nationwide. Yet, this period also marked a turning point—Ankur Counseling Center expanded its reach more than ever before, proving how critical mental health support truly is.
To continue this progress, Man Chautari sessions provide safe, stigma-free spaces in schools and the community for children and adults to share their feelings—individually or in groups—with trusted Ankur counselors. Since July 2023, we’ve hosted 25 sessions across Adarsha Saula Higher Secondary School, Bakhel Kumari Basic School, and a local single women’s group.
At each gathering, participants engage in activities that encourage emotional expression and learning. For example, students use a “Feelings Thermometer” to visually share how they’re feeling in the moment—an effective tool that helps children build self-awareness and emotional vocabulary. Thematic discussions on topics like stress, self-esteem, and healthy relationships further enrich the experience.
By collaborating with youth leaders, teachers, healthcare workers, and families, the CMH program is actively dismantling stigma, raising awareness, and helping prevent crises like suicide before they occur.
We’re deeply grateful to our Ankur team—and to YOU, our GlobalGiving community—for helping make this transformation possible.
Together, we’re nurturing mental wellness, one conversation at a time.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
