"It is a very bad experience, living with the illness in the community, children will keep throwing stones wherever you meet them in the streets, and people won't stop calling you derogatory names. It is frustrating experience indeed," says Hadija.

Hadija is a recovered mentally ill person in Newala. She tells this story of abuse to the rest of her community during the consultation meeting. This is an everyday occurrence that many mentally ill people face in their communities.

She expresses the pains she felt for being chained and tied, "See the scars from the chains in my arms and legs, that's why I tell you it is a terrible experience. Thank God that I have recovered from the illness."

She is a younger lady, an orphan and a third born in a family of seven children. She is twenty three years and has been mentally ill for about 4 years. She was dreaming of achieving academic excellence but her mental illness has limited her dream.

"My life is very bad because I failed my exams, I cannot be employed anywhere. I am very disappointed about it, I wish I could re-sit my exams but my mama has no money to support me. Now I am doing weaving but I don't get enough money out of that" she says.

Through working with communities we are trying to lift people like Hadija out of the daily abuse that they face and give their lives meaning and hope once again.

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