EValuate Outcomes of the eLearning Virtual Exchange program (EVOLVE)

Background:

Almost 15-20% of the Nepalese population have some mental illness. According to the National Mental Health Survey conducted by the Nepal Health Research Council in 2020, 7.2% of the adult Nepalese population had suicidality. Evidence shows that 90% of the people affected by mental illness in Nepal do not receive any treatment. Lack of awareness, prevailing stigma, discrimination, poor availability of services, and poverty are major barriers to seeking mental health care and psychosocial support(MHPSS) in Nepal. In this regard, this project aims to bridge the gap in accessing MHPSS services through capacity building of lay service providers on basic psychosocial skills through an e-learning platform. This is a multi-country project that is being implemented in Nepal, Timor-Leste, and Sri Lanka. 

Outcome:

A comprehensive orientation on the Basic Psychosocial Skills course was delivered to a total of 1623 individuals. TPO Nepal conducted widespread dissemination of the course across various districts of Nepal, with a particular emphasis on areas where TPO Nepal is actively engaged. Additionally, the BPS course is accessible to individuals at no cost through the following link: BPS Courses (Nepali) – TPO Nepal.

Time frame: September, 2022 – September, 2023

Supported by: The Asia Foundation