The funds to start BasicNeeds were contributed by Andrews Charitable Trust (nee World in Need) and the Joel Joffe Charitable Trust. This made it possible for the organisation to develop its overall policy and strategy, for a sister Trust to be registered in India, and for pilot work to be carried out in India and Sri Lanka.

This solid foundation gave us the ability to enlist the support of major development and health funders, such as the Department for International Development, Comic Relief, the Big Lottery Fund and Northern Rock, and rapidly expand and develop our work.

Funding from trusts and foundations continues to allow us to fund vital parts of our programme, for example the Tin Laayisi horticultural project in Northern Ghana which has generously been supported by the Clothworkers’ Foundation and the Jersey Overseas Aid Committee. Without the support of trusts and foundations, we are unable to build upon the success that we have already achieved.

A remarkable group of special supporters have come on board to give aid and encouragement to the organisation, recognizing that we are attempting something unusual and different – indeed necessary – in the field of development.

For example, Chris and Claire Mathias have kindly agreed to support a very substantial piece of work in southern India. Here the BasicNeeds India Trust is setting out to build an alliance of major organisations. These organisations, already well-established in the field of development and community-based rehabilitation, have the potential of reaching a very substantial number of mentally ill people.

We are also grateful to the continued support of Molecular Products Group Ltd and Andrews Estate Agents whose belief in our work and the importance of community-based mental health treatment means as much to us as their valuable donations.

We would also like to thank United Business Media, CME and CMP whose invaluable support allowed us to make an impact with Psychiatrists throughout America at the Psychiatric Congress 2006 and through the Psychiatric Times.

We are sustained by the resources that come from special supporters and corporations, but also from their affection and belief in the work we do and this in turn allows us to work with larger foundations and institutional donors.

In most of the countries that we work in, one of our most valued partner is the government itself and here we can support more substantial applications to the bilateral and multilateral players in the provision of health and policy at a practical level.

The ever-growing pool of individual donors who, like us, believe that the injustice afforded to mentally ill people must end are making an important difference to our work. Their donations, particularly those who give regularly, are a vital source of support to our organisation.

BasicNeeds is an organisation that is building on its success. In our transition from a small to a medium sized organisation, we face many challenges, but with the continued support of donors who appreciate our innovative approach to a cause that is too often overlooked, we hope to continue to transform the lives of mentally ill people and give them hope for the future.