Our team has developed an effective mental health treatment (called "Shamiri"). The Shamiri intervention is delivered cost-effectively through a youth-led youth-oriented caregiving model that we call Project Thrive! Through Project Thrive!, we are building a future where mental health problems do no limit the potential of our youth
Building on years of research on character strength interventions, the Shamiri intervention combines into one protocol three brief and simple character-strength-focused elements that have been shown to have beneficial effects on health and developmental outcomes amongst youths:
Growth-mindset: We can grow and improve with intentional effort and strategies (especially in the face of challenges)
Gratitude: We can improve our wellbeing by noticing and appreciating the good things in our lives
Value affirmation: We can set personal goals and take values-aligned actions through reflecting on our core values
2018 pilot clinical trial with 51 youths in Kibera
This was the first report that a brief, lay-provider delivered, community-based intervention may reduce internalizing symptoms and improve academic outcomes in adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa.
2019 large-scale clinical trial with 413 youths across Kenya
This was one of the first adequately powered tests in this population of a scalable intervention grounded in simple positive psychological elements.