An illustration./PHOTO ; Pexel
September, marked globally as Suicide Prevention Month, was a reminderer that mental health cannot be treated as an afterthought.
Suicide is deeply intertwined with mental health: while not every case is rooted in a diagnosable condition, most people who die by or attempt suicide face mental health challenges.
This makes the conversation about how we invest in and measure mental health programs all the more urgent.
This urgency framed the recent Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance(AVPA) & Healthy Brains Global Initiative (HBGI) Webinar: Proving Impact – How to Measure Mental Health Programs held on September 11, 2025, where experts unpacked what it takes to align funding with meaningful outcomes.
The discussion revealed that while mental health investment is growing, the absence of standardized metrics makes it difficult to demonstrate value, attract capital, or scale proven interventions.
Why Metrics Matter
Dr. Shadrack Opon, Programme Manager for Health at AVPA, opened with a challenge to the sector: “If we cannot prove impact, mental health will remain on the periphery of funding priorities.”
His point resonated across the conversation.
Unlike other health fields where mortality and morbidity data are routinely available, mental health interventions often lack robust measurement tools that can convince funders of their long-term value.
Prof. Dr. Wim Delva, Founder of Wimmy and Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University, emphasized that measurement is not just about accountability but about learning.
“Metrics should tell us what works, for whom, and under what conditions,” he explained.
“Otherwise, we risk scaling programs that look good on paper but fail in practice.”
The problem, he noted, is compounded by limited data systems in many African countries.
Without integrated reporting structures, even basic information such as prevalence rates, treatment adherence, or relapse patterns remains fragmented.
Shifting From Burden to Solutions
For Stacey Ann Pillay, Partnerships & Performance Director for Africa at the Healthy Brains Global Initiative (HBGI), the debate is as much about narrative as it is about numbers.
Too often, she argued, mental health is framed only in terms of burden, with statistics that highlight gaps but not progress.
“We need to move beyond deficit language,” Pillay said.
“When funders hear only about what’s missing, it can feel like a bottomless pit. What inspires action are stories of transformation backed by credible data.”
She pointed to HBGI’s experience in designing performance frameworks that balance quantitative indicators such as service uptake and clinical outcomes, with qualitative measures like user satisfaction and community acceptance.
This dual approach, she argued, makes mental health data more relatable for funders while staying true to the lived realities of service users.
The Scale of the Challenge
The need for better measurement is underscored by the scale of unmet need.
The World Health Organization estimates that 116 million people in Africa live with mental health conditions, yet up to 85% of those with severe disorders receive no treatment.
This staggering treatment gap highlights why funders often hesitate: without reliable metrics, it is difficult to know whether interventions are making a dent in such a vast problem.
As Opon noted, this is precisely why measurement must be seen not as an administrative burden but as a gateway to building trust.
By demonstrating progress, even incremental organizations can strengthen the case for sustained investment.
Building Trust With Funders
The discussion repeatedly circled back to the question of trust.
Funders want assurance that their money is being used effectively, but implementers often lack the capacity to generate gold-standard evidence.
According to Opon, this mismatch can discourage investment in exactly the communities most in need.
“What we are seeing now,” he said, “is the beginning of funder flexibility. There’s recognition that metrics do not have to be perfect to be meaningful. What matters is co-creation, developing indicators with the communities and organizations actually delivering the services.”
Pillay echoed this, noting that rigid frameworks can unintentionally exclude smaller, community-based organizations that lack the resources for extensive data collection.
She argued for tiered measurement systems, where expectations are proportionate to organizational capacity but still aligned to shared goals.
Toward Locally Relevant Metrics
One of the strongest points to emerge was the need for culturally appropriate metrics. Prof. Delva stressed that reliance on Western clinical scales risks missing the nuances of mental health in African settings.
“If the tools we use don’t resonate with the people they’re meant to serve, then the data will always be limited,” he said.
Participants highlighted emerging efforts to adapt measurement tools.
For example, some coalitions are working on metrics that capture resilience, social support, and community healing dimensions often overlooked in clinical assessments but critical in local contexts.
These approaches not only improve data quality but also foster greater buy-in from communities.
Unlocking Investment Through Evidence
Data is not an end in itself; it is a means to unlock resources.
Nasri Adam, Director of Programmes, Impact & Communications (Pan-Africa) at HBGI, underscored the link between credible measurement and sustainable financing.
“Funders want to see a trajectory,” she said. “They need to know that even if results take years, there is a line of sight from investment to impact.”
She explained that mental health is competing for scarce funding against more visible health crises like malaria or HIV/AIDS, where metrics of progress are well-established.
“The more we can show concrete, evidence-backed progress in mental health,” Adam argued, “the more likely we are to attract long-term commitments rather than short bursts of funding.”
Beyond Numbers: Changing the Narrative
While the session emphasized frameworks and tools, it also highlighted the human dimension. Behind every data point are individuals whose lives are shaped by mental health interventions.
This reminder was especially resonant in the context of Suicide Prevention Month.
“Measurement should never strip away the humanity of the work,” Pillay said. “It’s about proving impact, yes, but also about preserving dignity.”
The challenge, then, is twofold: to generate credible evidence that satisfies funders and to ensure that the evidence tells a story of hope, resilience, and transformation.
A Sector at a Crossroads
The webinar closed on a cautiously optimistic note.
Momentum is building around mental health in Africa, with more funders entering the space and more implementers willing to engage in co-designed measurement. But the road ahead remains long.
As Prof. Delva put it, “We are only at the beginning of figuring out what works in our contexts. The danger is that without investment in measurement, we may miss the chance to scale solutions that could save lives.”
The consensus was clear: proving impact is not a technical exercise but a strategic necessity.
In a region where millions remain untreated and under-supported, the ability to measure and to tell the story behind the numbers may determine whether mental health finally secures its place as a priority in Africa’s health and development agenda.
