Trauma strikes without warning — a single shattering event or years of violence, neglect, or disaster. Its true damage lies beneath the surface: it rewires brains and bodies, trapping survivors in survival mode long after danger passes.
It fractures life’s core connections — to self, body, community, and hope. Left unhealed, trauma becomes a relentless cycle, robbing individuals of safety, trust, and the ability to thrive.
Yet recovery is possible. Healing isn’t erasing pain — it’s reclaiming control of one’s body, rebuilding relationships, and restoring agency over tomorrow. In underserved regions, millions suffer needlessly without access to care. Proven treatments exist; they simply need to reach those forgotten.
This is our fight: scaling life-changing trauma care to break cycles of suffering and unleash resilience where despair runs deep. Because healing isn’t a privilege — it’s a right.
Trauma: A Silent War
The need for scaling trauma care in low-resource settings has never been this urgent:
There are 300 million estimated vulnerable persons worldwide in 2024:
According to the World Health Organization, 300 million vulnerable persons will need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024 due to conflicts, climate emergencies and other drivers. Over a third of these vulnerable persons, as of end-2023, have been forcibly displaced, which is the highest number recorded in history.
75% of displaced persons are in low- and middle-income countries:
Majority of refugees and internally-displaced persons seek protection in low- and middle-income countries, potentially impacting socio-economic development. As research shows, mental disorders can hinder a person’s ability to contribute to society and the broader economy.
There are only 2 mental health workers estimated per 100,000 population:
The estimated rate of mental health workers in the poorest countries are extremely low to attend to the needs of local and displaced populations, averaging 2 workers per 100,000 persons, compared to more than 70 workers in high-income countries.
PTSD can be up to 10 times higher in low-resource settings.
Epidemiological studies examining the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among emergency-impacted populations in low- and middle-income countries estimate that it may be up to 10x higher when compared to PTSD prevalence in high-income countries (e.g. USA, 6%).
The Impact of Trauma is Not Limited to PTSD.
Transdiagnostic Assessment and Treatment Approaches are Needed.Individuals with PTSD have at least one, and on average 3 other co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses, including:
• Major depressive disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Substance use disorder
• Complex PTSD
They may also suffer with other significant problems, such as:
• Sleep abnormalities
• Substance addiction and misuse
• Dissociation
• Physical symptoms
• Self-harm
• Medical conditions
Sources
The Good News:
Trauma is Treatable.
Over the past 3 decades, significant progress has been made in the development of treatments for traumatic stress, and many modalities are now backed by rigorous scientific evidence.
Core Challenges for Scaling Care in Low Resource Settings:
There is no “one size fits all” intervention for traumatic stress.
Given the complexity of trauma, different people respond to different types of treatment. This brings significant challenges for developing a standardized program that can be scaled and measured.
Evidence-based treatments are primarily administered by highly trained psychologists.
The scarcity of qualified trauma psychologists in resource-poor locations have led most humanitarian mental health initiatives to heavily rely on lay community health workers, limiting trauma care to low-impact psychological first aid.
News & Updates
News and Updates
