Always Be Kind - Small and Simple Help for Mental Health
Always Be Kind - Small and Simple Help for Mental Health
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Always Be Kind Small and Simple Help for Mental Health is a IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing essential recreation equipment and supplies for psychiatric hospital patients in African countries. All donations are used to purchase these items in the recipient country to help support growing economies.
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About Our Organization
Our Mission
Always Be Kind - Small and Simple Help for Mental Health is a nonprofit organization focused on improving mental health by providing recreation equipment and supplies to psychiatric hospital patients in African countries. Our program aims to create a positive impact on individuals struggling with severe mental health challenges, promoting a community of compassion and understanding. Through various initiatives and campaigns, we strive to raise awareness and provide assistance to enhance mental well-being.
100% of donations go to purchase of recreation supplies
within the recipient country.
This supports local growing economies.
Administration fees are privately financed so all donations are entirely directed towards intended goal: recreation supplies and equipment.
The last to be taken care of in every society
are the severely mentally ill.
Please consider 'Always Be Kind Small and Simple Help for Mental Health' as your 501(c)(3) charity donation.
Activity equals better mental health. African psychiatric hospitals often lack essential supplies for recreation activities.
Recreation therapy is an evidence-based approach to mental health treatment.
Cote d'Ivoire November 2024 was a success. See photos and videos Below.
Please see Project section below.
Trips
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To be determined
Please check back later.
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Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
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Monrovia, Liberia
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The Gambia
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire - 2024
Hôpital Psychiatrique, Bingerville, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Visiting the largest psychiatric hospital in the country
Cote d’Ivoire has many psychiatric facilities throughout the country and the largest is in Bingerville, a suburb of Abidjan. It is easily found on Google Maps; therefore, an Uber can take you straight there for a small fee. It is a bustling campus with many services and an undisclosed number of beds serving severely mentally ill Ivorians.
Monrovia, Liberia - 2024
E.S. Grant Hospital, Monrovia, Liberia
Google Maps maintains the location of the E.S. Grant Mental Hospital in the Central Monrovia district on Benson Street. Everyone in Liberia knows Benson Street. Ask anyone on Benson Street where the E.S.Grant Mental Hospital is located and you will likely have one, or more, locals point you in a direction, but it’s not there. While affiliated with the extensive JFK Memorial Hospital, it is not located there either. Paynesville, ten miles from Central Monrovia, I found the Hospital located on the late E.S. Grant’s estate. Dr. Grant worked as a psychiatrist with patients at the facility and his family donated the property to the JFK Memorial Hospital to be used as an inpatient psychiatric hospital after the building in Central Monrovia was destroyed during the Liberian Civil War.
In a country of 5.5 million people E.S. Grant’s 50 bed capacity is the only mental health hospital in Liberia. When I arrived they had not one soccer ball for the patients to play; now there are two and much more thanks to donors.
The Gambia - 2023
Tanka Tanka Hospital, Banjul, The Gambia
In 2023 I sought access to a psychiatric hospital while vacationing in 4 African countries. After much time and effort unsuccessfully trying throughout the trip, the last day in the last country, The Gambia, a taxi driver, and good man named Ousman, told me he knew where the Tanka Tanka psychiatric hospital is located. I had a couple of hours to burn before leaving for the airport and that is just enough time. Initially, the director of the hospital denied my request to spend time with the patients until Ousman intervened on my behalf pleading that I am leaving The Gambia in a couple of hours. Thankfully, the director granted access to his facility.
After 7 years working at a state mental health hospital in the United States, what I saw at Tanka Tanka looked quite different. After touring the grounds and sitting with a group of male patients with severe schizophrenia for over 10 minutes, I felt inspired to ask what they liked about the hospital and what could be improved. They named four for each question that were the same: they have some food but would like more; they like the medications but would like to receive them more consistently; they have some clothes but would like more of better quality; and with no recreation supplies, or equipment of any kind, there is nothing for them to do for fun.
I boarded a plane and flew home incessantly thinking about what I saw that day. On the way back to my hotel, Ousaman offered to purchase, and deliver to the Tanka Tanka Hospital, whatever I wanted as his way to do a service to the patients at the hospital, and The Gambia. After returning home I sent Ousman enough money for one basketball and a soccer ball. He sent me photos and a video of the delivery and for days I thought about those patients now having something to kick around and pass the time.
Link to a story related to the hospital:
For the sake of privacy and wellbeing, we do not record or take pictures of patients.