That campaign is focused on "improving public attitudes and behaviour towards people with mental health problems". (See attached article.)

In South Africa the consequences of the major trauma of apartheid political oppression are extensive and have not been appropriately confronted to date. Khulumani is involved in advocating for new approaches to supporting communities that have survived major trauma and that live with the mental health consequences of trauma, violence and torture everyday.

These are approaches that build solidarity within damaged communities through group-based narrative and dialogue processes that help to unlock the capacities of the 'extraordinary' people who manage continuing daily stress with courage and commitment to transform their own circumstances.

Khulumani calls on the Departments of Health and of Social Development to invest in community-based approaches to building mental health in traumatised communities such as the communities where Khulumani groups are active. Khulumani has detailed budgets for the support of these programmes in its community reparations policy proposals that have been tabled with the President's Fund since December 13, 2010.

Khulumani draws attention to the fact that appropriate services do not yet exist in South Africa for supporting the mental health needs of survivors of apartheid gross human rights violations and for working with their children and grandchildren towards preventing the transgenerational transmission of trauma.

As the 13th Anniversary of the Handing Over of the First TRC Report with its recommendations for reparations and rehabilitation approaches on October 29, Khulumani proclaims that it is TIME TO MAKE RIGHT ON REPARATIONS.

For further comment, please contact Dr Marjorie Jobson on 082 268 0223