King's College London

In African countries, over 90% of people with depression have no access to treatment. Research by Wellcome (2024) identified digital interventions as a promising solution to bridge this treatment gap, considering the widespread use of mobile phones throughout the continent. However, no scalable digital depression therapies currently exist in Africa.

This project aims to co-produce a digital prototype for the first guided self-help app for depression in African countries, developed with key in-kind support from SIXOSIX Media Inc. This innovation builds on the success of the Friendship Bench, a ground-breaking face-to-face intervention for depression developed and researched in Zimbabwe through a 15-year partnership with King’s. The Friendship Bench was selected as an Impact Case Study (REF2021), and has expanded at scale, treating 70,000 people annually in Zimbabwe and several thousand more in Kenya, with additional African countries adopting the model.

Building on insights from Friendship Bench, user requests, and preferences, this digital innovation offers a flexible hybrid model, combining in-person and digital interventions to expand reach and accessibility. Designed as a data-lite solution, the app will function on feature phones, ensuring it is accessible to underserved populations. By integrating digital tools with proven therapy methods, the initiative aims to reduce waiting times, allowing health workers to support twice as many people compared to traditional face-to-face intervention. In addition to improving access, the app will contribute to lower travel-related emissions, supporting environmental sustainability. Most importantly, it will strengthen healthcare resilience by providing user materials anytime, anywhere, ensuring continuity of care even in remote areas.

"We are thrilled to receive support from the King’s One Impact Fund. Together with partners in African countries we will build on the successful Friendship Bench model to develop a guided self-help app that works on basic phones, making it truly inclusive. It is shocking that most people with depression in African countries currently cannot access culturally appropriate evidence-based therapy. By combining digital innovation with human connection, we hope to bring flexible, accessible treatment to those who have waited far too long for care."

- Professor Melanie Abas, Professor of Global Mental Health and Director, King’s Global Health Institute

"As Friendship Bench, we are honoured to be part of this exceptional team working on a transformative depression self-help digital app in Africa. This initiative represents a powerful step forward in strengthening existing therapies as we pursue universal mental health coverage in Africa and beyond."

- Dr Jermaine Dambi, Research Director, Friendship Bench private voluntary organisation

Expected Impact

Digital intervention will integrate digital tools with proven problem-solving therapy methods, creating a scalable, culturally relevant, and accessible mental health intervention that empowers individuals and strengthens healthcare systems. The long-term impact will be:

• Scale up the app through the Coalition for Scaling Mental Health
• Strengthen interdisciplinary global health partnerships across academics and professional services within and beyond King’s
• Expand digital mental health solutions to reach more people in need

Partners and Collaborators

A network of multidisciplinary partners from across and beyond King's are working together to maximise the impact of the project. These include:

• King’s IoPPN Centre for Global Mental Health
• King’s School of Global Affairs
• Global Engagement, International, Engagement & Service
• NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre - Digital Therapeutics Theme
• Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education, International, Engagement & Service
• King’s Policy Institute
• FoLSOM King’s Global Health Institute
• King’s Directorate of Education Academy
• King’s Research Management & Innovation Directorate
• Professor Dixon Chibanda and The Coalition for Scaling Mental Health (CSMH)
• Ankiza Gakunu, Inuka Foundation
• Thoko Mashaah, Research Management Deputy Director, University of Zimbabwe
• Jessie Mhaka, lived experience expert
• Dr Jermaine Dambi, Research Director, Friendship Bench private voluntary organisation
• SIXOSIX Media Inc

Project Team

• Professor Melanie Abas, Project Lead
• Dr Gabrielle Samuel, Project Co-Lead
• Sam Gnanapragasam (current King's PhD student), Co-Investigator 
• Dr Denford Gudyanga, Co-Investigator
• Dorothea Kanthack-Chan, Co-Investigator
• Tarisai Bere (King’s alumna, University of Zimbabwe, bringing African clinical psychology expertise), Project Co-Investigator
• Jermaine Dambi , Project Co-Investigator
• Dr Tania Lima, Project Co-Investigator
• Eleanor Salt, Team member
• Professor Collette Hirsch, Team member
• Dr Mira Vogel, Team member 

This project is supported by the One King’s Impact Fund

The One King's Impact Fund is part of One King’s Impact, King’s strategic programme to support and accelerate work within and beyond the University which creates positive change for people, planet and society.

Digital Intervention responds to the following Impact Priorities: 

Whole life health for mind and body | Technology for Good | Advancing Equality and Social Mobility