We are a network, working on a project to promote creative therapeutic methods in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In collaboration with the C.N.P.P (Centre-Neuro-Psycho-Pathologique), the largest public institution in Kinshasa, a training programme and complementary treatment for mental illness using creative approaches is being implemented.

We have already been gaining experience since 2022! In collaboration with YWCA, a partner organisation of Bread for the World, we have organised several training courses in music therapy and, since 2023, we have been offering therapies to patients. The positive experiences and feedback from patients and clinic staff have encouraged us to continue with the project. A specific programme in the field of complementary therapies seems promising, as it addresses the intersection between mental illness and social activity. It is precisely the social situation of many people with mental illnesses that poses a problem. The combination of training and direct application seems appropriate in the very difficult economic context of the DRC in order to achieve lasting effects.