THE CHALLENGE

PHOLA addresses complex, overlapping social and mental health challenges in South Africa:

• South Africa ranks second globally in alcohol abuse. This contributes to violence, mental health issues, and social breakdowns.
• One in five South African women has experienced physical violence, often at the hands of intimate partners.
• There are insufficient services for women attempting to escape abusive relationships.
• Women bear the disproportionate burden of poverty, unemployment, and limited access to health services.
• Teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS among youth, and GBV remain pressing concerns.
• Mental health stigma and a lack of public awareness prevent survivors from seeking help.
• 5% of South Africans face mood, anxiety, or substance-related disorders annually—yet only 25% access care.
• Half of all psychosocial disorders begin before age 14, with long-term effects on education, employment, and relationships.
• Poverty and mental health are interconnected in a vicious cycle: poverty increases trauma risk, while untreated mental illness deepens financial hardship and social exclusion.
• There is a shortage of trained mental health professionals to serve vulnerable communities.

PHOLA’s work seeks to break these cycles by improving access to culturally sensitive, community-led mental health care.