Shamiri Interventions

Brief, simple, and stigma-free interventions that focus on broader human functioning and can enable young people to actualize their life outcomes.

At the core of our model is the belief that simple, low-touch, and stigma-free interventions can have outsized effects in improving youth mental health and wellbeing outcomes. This belief is inspired by years of research and evidence on “wise” interventions and “character strengths” interventions.

At Shamiri Institute, we are creating a toolkit of these brief interventions: our interventions are theory-informed, evidence-based (all tested in multiplied gold-standard randomized trials), and can be easily delivered by lay-providers. Over the last five years, we've adapted, developed, and rigorously tested interventions that can improve young people's wellbeing, livelihood, and long-term health effects.  
Our program offers brief and effective interventions that are low-stigma and unobtrusive, focusing on broader human functioning.

The Shamiri intervention

Our flagship intervention is the Shamiri Intervention which teaches growth mindset, problem solving, gratitude, and values.

The Shamiri Intervention is a simple, brief, group-based and stigma-free program delivered in high schools that has shown to improve mental health by reducing depression and anxiety symptoms.

The intervention combines three character strength components: growth mindset, gratitude, and values. Growth mindset teaches youth that personal attributes are malleable and can be improved through effort. Gratitude teaches us to find moments in everyday life that we can be grateful for. Values allow us to problem-solving and make decisions especially in challenging circumstances.

Pre-Texts, arts-literacy intervention


Pre-Texts is an arts-literacy intervention that uses art-making exercises to interpret texts. The intervention allows for creative expression followed by group reflection on the process of interpretation through art-making.
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Participants meet daily for a week in groups of 6-12 individuals, with an average group size of 8, for one-hour sessions. The groups are led by high school graduates aged 18-22 who are trained as lay-providers and the sessions are held as after-school activities. Randomized trials have shown that Pre-Texts results into significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms
Shamiri fellow delivering an effective, brief, de-stigmatized, and evidence-based "low-touch" therapy within a tiered care model that allows for escalation to an expanded pool of providers including social workers and therapists.
Shamiri means "thrive." We are building a future where young people, everywhere, can thrive.

Life-skills intervention

Our life-skills intervention intervention teaches young people about interpersonal skills, study skills, and financial literacy skills.

This intervention was inspired by our research that showed these issues to be substantial stressors for young people.

The models are designed based on substantial research into effective programs from similar contexts and input from the young people we work with. We are currently conducting a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of this intervention.
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