Mental health awareness is critical,” said Afitu Naomi Eshraghi, CEO of Goshen Trust Mental Health Services, who stresses compassion and community support as essential for those living with mental illness.

Afitu explained that families and villages struggle with stigma or a lack of awareness about mental health because they do not fully understand it.

“Some of these patients have been suffering from mental illness for over 20 years. Families and village councils know about their condition. Yet, when one of these patients acts out, what happens? They are banished,” Eshraghi said. “Where has the understanding, the family support, or the support of the village council been throughout these years?”

She said stigma often comes from a lack of understanding, not ignorance. “It’s all about being a compassionate society. Sharing compassion helps heal people faster,” she said.

On community education, Eshraghi stressed that compassion is innate. “We all have this inner ability to care. The choice we make is who we give it to. If we share this sense of compassion regardless of someone’s history, we see them as human beings thriving in their own way,” she said.

Eshraghi said the increase in patients seeking mental health support highlights the need for stronger community care. “Mental health is part of every human being. If someone has a good support system, they recover quickly. Without support, repeated breakdowns occur, and they end up in systems of care, including hospitals,” she said.

Goshen Trust plans to continue improving services to support patients according to their individual capacities. “We always strive to improve and maintain our service,” she said.

Afitu noted that the government is always supportive whenever they are made aware of Goshen Trust’s need for assistance.

While the government has been supportive in the past, Afitu emphasised that continued collaboration with the new administration is crucial for addressing ongoing challenges faced by patients and their families.

“The support I am looking for from this new government is to help patients and their families safely reintegrate into their communities,” Afitu said. “Some have been evicted in the past, so the new government and its system of village councils, with representatives from each village, are a great help.”

"New government funding offers more than financial relief to Goshen Trust Mental Health; it is an investment in dignity, resilience, and the unseen lives that depend on care continuing.  

"By directing funding to mental health Goshen Trust in need, the government affirms that healing minds is not a charity, but a shared national responsibility. Government support for mental health NGOs like Goshen Trust recognises that sustainable care requires not only compassion, but the resources to turn it into lasting impact.

"When governments give fund struggling mental health NGOs like Goshen Trust, they strengthen the quiet lifelines that hold communities together."