The foundation

The foundation serves people affected by armed conflict, displacement, detention and disaster. It builds on the community-based model of psychosocial capacity development that Majd applied in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Indonesia, the United States and the Syrian refugee response.

Our mission is to strengthen the psychosocial well-being and self-efficacy of individuals, families and communities affected by conflict, displacement, detention and disaster, by developing qualified local practitioners who can sustain recovery and respond to future crises.

Our programs apply Majd’s model, consistent with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.

• Local practitioners. We recruit from affected communities, drawing on backgrounds in psychiatry, psychology, social work, sociology, education and child development.
• Structured training. Practitioners are trained in the HeartMath self-regulation model and Majd’s group-based methodology.
• Assessment first. A systematic needs assessment comes before any program design.
• Sustained supervision. Practitioners receive ongoing clinical supervision and support after training.
• Local ownership. Programs are designed so that communities sustain them and keep the capacity to respond to future emergencies.

The story behind the model

Our initial programming focuses on two areas.

• Community-based psychosocial programs

  For people affected by conflict, displacement and disaster, delivered through trained local practitioners.

• Rehabilitation for survivors

  Psychosocial rehabilitation for survivors of detention and armed conflict.

Program details, populations and locations will be published as each program is established.

Current initiative

Psychosocial needs assessment in Syria

The first step toward programs inside Syria, following the model Majd applied in Lebanon.