From fear to friendship: how mental health volunteers are changing community attitudes in Indonesia

Ip, Mental-health, Stories | September 11, 2025

Mental health conditions rank as the second most common cause of chronic diseases in Indonesia, including in the East Nusa Tenggarra Province. Yet, due to widespread misunderstanding, people with mental health conditions – and their families – often face stigma, discrimination, and social isolation.

This was the reality in Mama Novi’s neighbourhood, where fear and misinformation led many community members to avoid engaging with people with mental health conditions, especially when their behaviour was perceived as aggressive.

As a result, those with mental health conditions were often left without social support or access to essential mental health services.

But changes began to take root through a CBM-supported project working alongside local partners to improve access to quality mental health care. The project trained and empowered community mental health volunteers like Mama Novi – a neighbourhood leader – to provide education, raise awareness, and advocate for the rights and needs of people with mental health conditions.

Today, Mama Novi supports five people with mental health conditions, including one who previously displayed aggressive behavior and another who had been physically restrained. She visits them monthly, providing information, maintaining communication with their families and neighbours, and fostering understanding within the broader community.

The impact has been transformative. The individual who once showed aggressive behaviour is now doing well – receiving both medical and social support, taking medication, accessing healthcare independently, and even working as a motorcycle taxi driver. The person who had been restrained, initially resistant to treatment, is now receiving medication that has helped them manage their mental health and, as a result, improve their ability to perform daily tasks like bathing and doing the laundry.

Beyond these personal stories, the project has sparked a broader shift. Relationships between people with mental health conditions, their families, and the wider community – including leaders – have strengthened.

This growing engagement is a vital step towards dismantling stigma and building inclusive communities where everyone can participate fully in family and social life.

CBM Australia acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

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https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/from-fear-to-friendship-how-mental-health-volunteers-are-changing-community-attitudes-in-indonesia

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