Christian Friends of the Mentally Ill: Bringing Hope to Kenya

The following is a transcript of Japheth Obare’s presentation to the National Catholic Worker gathering at the San Antonio Catholic Worker in early October 2025. It was auto-generated from the recording and reviewed by a human editor, who made minor edits for clarity. Cover photo: Anyiko Catholic Worker Community by the Christian Friends of the Mentally Ill

Japheth Obare:

My name is Joseph Obare. I am from Kenya. We started as a Catholic worker here in 2021, and our primary focus is mental health. I’ve lived with paranoid schizophrenia for 30 years now, so I’m an expert by experience. We are located in the western part of Kenya in a place called Yala. There’s a major city close by, it’s called Kisumu, Yala is a place you can fly into, take a taxi and get there in about an hour. We are called Christian Friends of Mentally Ill, and we have 10 programs we are running:

• BJJ – a village outreach program.
• BOMA – a case-management program.
• DAWA – a medication support program.
• Elimisha Jamii Campaign – a destigmatization campaign.
• Project Furaha – a psychosocial support program run in partnership with the county hospital.
• Project Ubuntu – a therapeutic farm.
• Project Karibu – a clubhouse-style farm program.
• Sivanesan Children’s Program – supporting children with mental illness.
• Kwinwane – a fundraising program.
• Rafiki Program – a volunteer program.

When I arrived back in Kenya, after living in the U.S. for 5 years, I had problems finding help- and there was practically none around. If you’re starting a program, you have to start it from the ground up because there are no other organizations that you can link and synergize with. The government doesn’t pay much attention to mental health care, with only 0.01 percent of the budget dedicated to health expenses, so you can just imagine how challenging it is here.

But, God has been good to us. We are able to touch the lives of about 100 people per month, making a difference with the limited resources we have. Mentally ill people need help to get on their feet. They are not just lazy or beggars; they need a hand in areas like education, employment, housing, health care and meaningful relationships. If these five areas can be addressed, then mentally ill people can be just as functional as everybody else. They can be people who build families and are contributing to the society like everybody else. If mental illness is not addressed, the society ends up paying more, with hospitalizations, incarceration, and many other things. But if root issues are addressed, these can be avoided, and the benefit is far greater.

Mental health is a sensitive area that has been stigmatized for a long time, however, things are turning around and governments are paying attention. Here in Kenya, the government is trying to do what it can, but it’s mostly on paper. There’s nothing happening on the ground. So we have our work cut out for us, and we are hopeful that God will see our dreams through.

Questions from Roundtable Attendees

How does your Catholic Worker House work there? Do you have overnight guests, or do people visit during the day?

Our Catholic Worker House is still quite small—just a two-bedroom house—so it mostly hosts short-term volunteers. We go out to the villages, schools, and the hospital to do our work.

What does your work look like day to day when you go out to meet people? Do people know who you are and that you’re coming? Do you go to schools to see what’s needed? And what does the care look like? Do you have a mental health professional with you?

For the school program, we use a teen-focused curriculum from Canada. We request permission from the school administration, and once approved, we meet with the students and work through a year-long workbook on mental-health topics.

For the hospital program, we work alongside professionals—psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses. We help organize support groups and provide psychosocial support, such as spending time with patients, playing games, and getting to know them. This also connects to our case-management program, which allows us to follow up with people in their homes.

Do you have a clinic or a small hospital where you treat people?

Our dream is to establish a therapeutic farm with a clinic, but currently we work with an existing government clinic. We refer people there and collaborate closely with the staff.

So you don’t have to pay for the costs there—the government covers it?

Yes, the current clinic is government-funded.

Do the volunteers you work with have training to deal with mental-health issues? How do you organize day-to-day work?

We used to have a team of five staff members plus myself, but financial challenges have reduced our capacity. We have a five-day training program described on our website. We also have a short crash-course that trains volunteers to be Mental Health Advocates. I handle most tasks now because I’m the only one consistently present.

Is that the same training you mentioned from Canada?

No, the Canadian training is for teens in schools. The volunteer training is separate.

What is your wish list from America?

We recently contacted Jerry, who runs the Catholic Worker directory, and we shared our “begging bowl” request for donations. Before funds ran out, we operated a successful pig farm that generated income for our programs. It was wiped out by pneumonia. We hope to restart it because it was a reliable income source for supporting our work.

And the pig farm would support the programs financially?

Yes, it would help sustain our programs.

You said you lived in the U.S. for five years?

Yes. I first came to the U.S. in 2002 for Bible school with Youth With A Mission in Madison, Wisconsin. I returned in 2004 for a sabbatical at Youth With A Mission in Chico, California and stayed until 2008.

How long have you been associated with the Catholic Worker?

We joined the Catholic Worker in 2001, though our group has been active since 2016.

What changes have you seen in your programs since then? And what impacts have you noticed?

Stigmatization was the biggest initial challenge. Over time, people have become more open as they get to know us. Initially, there were no mental-health doctors in our entire county; now there are several, which has greatly improved our ability to help people.

How did you become connected with the Catholic Worker?

I’m Catholic, and after returning from the U.S. I was in crisis and found there was no mental-health support available. I sought international help and connected with Deborah O’Connor of the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society. She helped organize our early efforts. Since my background is faith-based, I looked for a like-minded organization and was inspired by the Catholic Worker movement, so I connected with them.

What are your volunteers trained to do? Are they like chaplains, caseworkers, or medical support?

They are trained as Mental Health Advocates—people with passion and basic knowledge of mental health. We pair their advocacy work with the expertise of government medical professionals, such as psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses.

You mentioned support groups. Do your volunteers organize support groups at the clinic? Are the people patients there? Are they outpatients or residents?

Yes, volunteers help organize support groups at the clinic. The people involved are clinic patients—some outpatients, some inpatients. The government doesn’t provide emotional or social support; they only offer consultations, medication, and counseling. There’s no case management.

Does your training include mental-health first aid or trauma-informed care? What exactly is in your training?

Our training is an online course from One Health Organization. It covers basic mental-health knowledge and the rights of people with mental illness. It’s short—can be completed in one sitting. We also provide a detailed pamphlet on mental-health advocacy, rooted historically in family members organizing to push for systemic change.

Who do you advocate to—politicians, the public, patients, providers?

Our advocacy focuses on the public and on patients. We try to collaborate with the government in a friendly way. Because political dynamics here are different, we avoid confrontational activism. We aim for cooperative “soft advocacy,” meeting the government halfway.

So you can’t challenge the government directly on patient rights? Only soft advocacy?

Yes. Patients themselves can demonstrate or pressure the government, but we are not at the front lines of that. We advocate gently and cooperatively.

Do Catholic churches or Catholic organizations in your area support your work?

Yes. The Catholic church I attend—St. Margaret’s—is five minutes from our BOMA community. The pastor knows our activities and is very supportive.

Are you the trainer?

Yes. I’m currently handling many roles because we lack personnel. Our project has grown through many unexpected blessings—such as the house, which was built in just three years. I believe more helpers will come in time.

How many months of the year are you in Kenya?

I’m here all twelve months, January through December.