LonePack

While seeking help himself, Siddhaarth learned how difficult it can be to find therapy in India. The process is expensive, while the shame and stigma attached to mental health issues exacerbates the challenge of accessibility. The country only has 43 government-run mental health hospitals, and only three psychiatrists per million people, but an estimated 70 million people with debilitating psychosocial illnesses. Siddhaarth co-founded LonePack to make mental health resources accessible to all young Indians.

Given the complexity of the country and subject he is working in, Siddhaarth occasionally found himself demotivated and unsure if he was really helping. The 2019 One Young World Summit in London was an opportunity to learn from his peers in the mental health space, and it gave him the positivity and inspiration he needed to keep going. It was after this experience that Siddhaarth and his team decided to launch LonePack Buddy, a free and anonymous peer support programme where trained volunteers offer their time and skills to people struggling with mental health issues. LonePack received help from the Mind Foundation to develop a 5 hour course to train these volunteers.

LonePack Buddy has directly helped over 1,400 people cope with their mental health and, based on before and after assessments, participants have seen a significant improvement in their mental well-being. LonePack is not just about directing people towards volunteers or even professionals through its directory, it also seeks to build upon community-led initiatives. In collaboration with UberEats India, LonePack Letters reached 95,000 people across 8 Indian states, spreading positivity and raising awareness. Through workshops and webinars, the project has reached a further 9,000 people, advancing the cause of mental health throughout the country.

“The One Young World Summit inspired me to keep moving, and I would say a large part of making LonePack Buddy into reality was the Summit. When I heard stories of people trying wildly different things, some younger than me, I felt that it was worth a shot”