Global Mental Health Innovator & Psychiatrist; Founder of Friendship Bench; Professor at University of Zimbabwe; Author of "The Friendship Bench"

Zimbabwe

Dixon Chibanda Biography

Dr. Dixon Chibanda is a Zimbabwean psychiatrist, professor, author, and a prominent figure in global mental health. Chibanda serves as a professor of psychiatry and global mental health at the University of Zimbabwe and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He is the founder of Friendship Bench, a community-based mental health intervention, and director of the African Mental Health Initiative. Chibanda is also a founding member of the Coalition for Scaling Mental Health, which focuses on expanding access to mental health care worldwide.

Chibanda developed the Friendship Bench program in response to the challenges faced by individuals unable to access traditional mental health services in Zimbabwe. The initiative trains older women in evidence-based talk therapy, specifically problem-solving therapy, to address depression—locally known as kufungisisa, or "thinking too much." These trained community members deliver basic cognitive behavioral therapy from benches in public spaces, providing accessible mental health support in Zimbabwe and other regions.

At the time of the program's inception, Chibanda was among the few practicing psychiatrists in Zimbabwe. The Friendship Bench has since expanded to include more than 3,000 trained listeners who have supported over 300,000 people across Zimbabwe and in additional countries, including the United States. The model has been replicated in countries such as Malawi, Botswana, Zanzibar, Vietnam, and Jordan, and was adopted by the New York City Health Department's Thrive program. The effectiveness of the Friendship Bench has been demonstrated through randomized controlled trials, with key findings published in JAMA.

Chibanda's work has been recognized internationally, with features in media outlets such as PBS NewsHour, New York Times, LA Times, BBC World Service, and Financial Times. He has delivered talks at the World Economic Forum, Skoll World Forum, World Health Assembly, Aspen Ideas Festival, and TEDWomen conference. His TED talk, "Why I Train Grandmothers to Treat Depression," has reached a global audience. The Friendship Bench has received honors including the McNulty Prize, the Ashoka Fellowship, and the Elevate Prize.

Chibanda is the author of "The Friendship Bench: How Fourteen Grandmothers Inspired a Mental Health Revolution," which received the Outstanding Works of Literature Award from BookPal in the First-Year Experience category. The Friendship Bench was also awarded the KBF Africa Prize by the King Baudouin Foundation for its work in expanding access to affordable, evidence-based mental health care. Chibanda has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles, contributing to the advancement of global mental health research and community-based mental health interventions.

BOOK Dixon Chibanda

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 10/27/2026.

Dixon Chibanda Videos

Dixon Chibanda

Dixon Chibanda

University Hospitals Health Services Research Center Distinguished Speaker Series - Dixon Chibanda.

Dr. Dixon Chibanda | LEARN Conference 2024

Dr. Dixon Chibanda | LEARN Conference 2024

Join us at the ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference to hear from Dr. Dixon Chibanda, the visionary behind the acclaimed Friendship Bench program.

Falling Walls Conference 2019 – Global Mental Health

Falling Walls Conference 2019 – Global Mental Health

The Falling Walls Conference is an annual global gathering of forward-thinking individuals from 80 countries organized by the Falling Walls...

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Dixon Chibanda is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Dixon Chibanda for your event is $20,000 - $30,000. Dixon Chibanda generally travels from Zimbabwe and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dr. 1Drea Pennington Wasio, Dr. Leana Wen, Lucy Hone, Lola Adedokun and Tom Voss. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Dixon Chibanda for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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