Basic Needs

To enable people with mental illness and epilepsy to live and work successfully in their communities.

BasicNeeds was founded by Chris Underhill in 1999 to transform lives of people living with mental illness and epilepsy in the world’s poorest communities. We currently have programs operating in Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, China, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Nepal and UK, as well as offices in UK, India, USA, and Australia.

There is often a direct relationship between mental health and poverty. Mental ill health makes it even harder for poor people to survive and poverty exacerbates mental illness thus creating a very hard downward cycle. For millions of people who are living in poverty mental illness is a world of isolation, fear, abuse and neglect. BasicNeeds works with its partners to provide a community-based access to integrated health, social, and economic services. There is often a direct relationship between mental health and poverty. Mental ill health makes it even harder for poor people to survive and poverty exacerbates mental illness thus creating a very hard downward cycle. For millions of people who are living in poverty mental illness is a world of isolation, fear, abuse and neglect. BasicNeeds works with its partners to provide a community-based access to integrated health, social, and economic services.

Since 2000 we have reached 85,308 people, improving their health, financial well-being, and social acceptance. The large number of people reached effectively is due to our being able to pursue the Model for Mental Health and Development which was proposed by Chris Underhill in 2000.