Although it is seldom highlighted by the SDGs, good mental health is fundamental to many of the most significant challenges we face. There are positive signs that funders are catching on to this

Bending the curve: The impact of integrating mental health services on HIV and TB outcomes. United for Global Mental Health (June 2021)

Many philanthropists currently funding mental health services around the world do so for deeply personal reasons, having experienced poor mental health ourselves or having cared for family and friends through trauma and illness. In my own case, my father suffered from bipolar disorder and depression and committed suicide when I was only 17; this is not a memory that ever fades. It has shaped the way I look at life and has driven me to turn my pain into the passion, energy and strength I need to be part of the positive changes that I want to see in the world.

It has become very clear to me, both from watching those closest to me struggle and from my own mental health issues, that our mental health can either empower us to, or derail us from, living our best lives. And the more I understand about this sector, the more I realise that caring for mental health is the foundation for success not only in our own lives, but also for creating a kinder, more sustainable and productive society.