Our Story
Where we started
The Regional Psychosocial Support Initiatives (REPSSI) is a renowned pan African organisation that has been providing holistic psychosocial care and support to girls, boys and the youth in East and Southern Africa. The organisation was founded in 2002.
Our programmes are spread across 13 countries and aim to respond to the psychosocial, mental health and social protection needs of children and families affected by: HIV and AIDS, conflict, poverty and social strife. Programmes are delivered through partnerships with regional bodies, national governments and non-governmental organisations.
REPSSI is renowned for the development of high quality, evidence-informed psychosocial support tools and resources, which are used globally within programmes and services for children, youth, families and communities.
Through our programmes, children and youth who enjoy psychosocial and mental wellbeing are able to thrive, respond to life’s shocks and challenges and find opportunities in a complex and fast-changing world.
Countries of Operation
Our Approach
We believe in creating sustainable partnerships. For the last 18 years, we have maintained a range of partnerships at community, county, regional and international levels. REPSSI works closely with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC) and the African Union as well as with a range of governments, academic institutions, civil society organisations, researchers and mental health professionals. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), REPSSI believes that psychosocial support is a critical enabler for the achievement of all the SDGs.
Our Focus Areas
Health and sexual reproductive health rights
- We train health practitioners to provide care and protection to all girls, boys and youth through their health services
- We support adolescents and young people affected by HIV to learn life skills
- We help families to give children infected with HIV love, care and protection
- We enhance access to and uptake of sexual and reproductive health and rights for girls, boys and the youth
- We provide psychosocial support to families affected by cancer.
- We conduct mental health needs assessments; screening and diagnosis and advise on enrolment into appropriate treatment programs.
Protection and sustainable livelihoods
- We encourage girls, boys, families and communities to prevent violence against children and to adopt more positive gender norms
- We train counsellors for Gender-based violence survivors in techniques to promote healing and recovery of their lives.
- We provide interventions for children who are in conflict with the law.
- We invest in skilling the social service workforce by developing competence based certificate and diploma training programmes
Education and early childhood development
- We train teachers on how to collaborate to provide love, care and protection to learners
- We promote the role of mothers and fathers in giving love, care and support for the development of young children.
Disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response
- We build family and community resilience and promote protection of the environment and reduce climate change through community dialogues
- We build capacity to understand and respond to the social and emotional consequences of disasters and humanitarian emergencies in the region