What We Do
Dedicated to improving mental health care in Somaliland through awareness, support, and training. Join us in creating a future where no one faces mental illness alone."
For the past fourteen years, the SMHSO team has poured heart & soul and saved no effort into strengthening mental health care across Somaliland, and we challenge ourselves to keep getting better every day. Our work focuses on the most marginalized communities in Hargeisa, Burao, and Boram, that is mainly people living in IDP camps and residents of slum neighborhoods. Although The Ministry of Health Development provides mental health services in each city, the sheer volume of need, driven by many factors but mainly the widespread khat use and the lingering trauma of civil war, has resulted in many individuals not yet accessing the essential support they urgently require.
That’s where our organization joins this noble cause and steps in to mend this gap. Through the donations of kind-hearted individuals and the generous sadaqah and zakat of compassionate donors, we cover treatment costs, therapy sessions, and medications to mentally challenged individuals to bring relief and hope.
At SMHSO, we make sure that every contribution goes straight to those who need it most, and surely together we’re breaking down financial and social barriers so that mental health care truly reaches everyone.
Dedicated to Mental Health, Committed to Change
Our organization is dedicated to improving mental health status in Somaliland through a range of comprehensive programmes and initiatives.
This is our core program, launched back from the start and continuing to this day. It provides direct mental health support by fully covering the costs of medical treatment, psychiatric medications, follow-up visits, and necessary lab tests for individuals struggling with mental health conditions.
At the heart of this program is our dedicated team of trained mental health professionals, who deliver care with compassion and deep cultural understanding. We work hand in hand with the most reputable psychiatric clinics in each of the three cities we serve, ensuring that every enrolled patient receives high-quality treatment in a respectful, confidential environment.
While psychiatrists take care of the clinical side like diagnosis, treatment planning, prescriptions, therapy, lab referrals, and rehabilitation, SMHSO manages the rest of the journey. We shoulder the full financial responsibility and go even further: we follow up on medication intake, stay in close contact with caregivers to monitor progress or setbacks, arrange transportation to and from appointments, and provide patients and families with a dedicated hotline for any questions or concerns.
This program exists to bridge the gap, restore dignity, and give people a real chance at healing. Together, we're breaking the chain : one life at a time.
For many years now, during the holy month of Ramadan, our outreach team partners closely with dedicated volunteer mothers from the community to cook, prepare, and distribute warm lunches to hundreds of homeless individuals living with mental illness. Since restaurants and food outlets are generally closed during daylight hours in Ramadan, many of these vulnerable people lose their only source of free meals. Recognizing this critical gap, we take it upon ourselves to raise funds ahead of Ramadan and run this program throughout the entire 30 days. Our efforts span the three cities where SMHSO operates, ensuring no one is left hungry or forgotten during this sacred time.
This program is more than just providing food, it’s about showing care, dignity, and solidarity with some of the most marginalized members of our community when they need it most.
During the winter season, we provide patients and their families with essentials like warm clothes and heavy blankets. This is funded through a separate budget we raise just for this purpose. We also try to support them in other ways—such as distributing food rations when we receive extra donations, or helping cover unpaid rent in urgent situations. While not always consistent, these efforts make a big difference in their daily lives whenever we can make them happen.
We work closely with community health workers, providing training that equips them to identify and respond to mental health issues within their communities. Through these collaborations, we help bridge the gap between basic healthcare and specialized mental health services. Additionally, we offer targeted workshops for social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists to enhance their skills and ensure a more effective and sustainable mental health system across Somaliland.
We are actively involved in raising awareness about mental health issues in the community. To learn more, cick here .
The prevalence of mental illness in Somaliland is thought to be the highest in the world. It is estimated that at least one person has some form of mental illness in every two households.
Dedicated to Mental Health, Committed to Change
Our organization is dedicated to improving mental health status in Somaliland through a range of comprehensive programmes and initiatives.
This is our core program, launched back from the start and continuing to this day. It provides direct mental health support by fully covering the costs of medical treatment, psychiatric medications, follow-up visits, and necessary lab tests for individuals struggling with mental health conditions.
At the heart of this program is our dedicated team of trained mental health professionals, who deliver care with compassion and deep cultural understanding. We work hand in hand with the most reputable psychiatric clinics in each of the three cities we serve, ensuring that every enrolled patient receives high-quality treatment in a respectful, confidential environment.
While psychiatrists take care of the clinical side like diagnosis, treatment planning, prescriptions, therapy, lab referrals, and rehabilitation, SMHSO manages the rest of the journey. We shoulder the full financial responsibility and go even further: we follow up on medication intake, stay in close contact with caregivers to monitor progress or setbacks, arrange transportation to and from appointments, and provide patients and families with a dedicated hotline for any questions or concerns.
This program exists to bridge the gap, restore dignity, and give people a real chance at healing. Together, we're breaking the chain : one life at a time.
For many years now, during the holy month of Ramadan, our outreach team partners closely with dedicated volunteer mothers from the community to cook, prepare, and distribute warm lunches to hundreds of homeless individuals living with mental illness. Since restaurants and food outlets are generally closed during daylight hours in Ramadan, many of these vulnerable people lose their only source of free meals. Recognizing this critical gap, we take it upon ourselves to raise funds ahead of Ramadan and run this program throughout the entire 30 days. Our efforts span the three cities where SMHSO operates, ensuring no one is left hungry or forgotten during this sacred time.
This program is more than just providing food, it’s about showing care, dignity, and solidarity with some of the most marginalized members of our community when they need it most.
During the winter season, we provide patients and their families with essentials like warm clothes and heavy blankets. This is funded through a separate budget we raise just for this purpose. We also try to support them in other ways—such as distributing food rations when we receive extra donations, or helping cover unpaid rent in urgent situations. While not always consistent, these efforts make a big difference in their daily lives whenever we can make them happen.
We work closely with community health workers, providing training that equips them to identify and respond to mental health issues within their communities. Through these collaborations, we help bridge the gap between basic healthcare and specialized mental health services. Additionally, we offer targeted workshops for social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists to enhance their skills and ensure a more effective and sustainable mental health system across Somaliland.
We are actively involved in raising awareness about mental health issues in the community. To learn more, cick here .