Healing Minds Matter initiative Rotary presents bold new phase to combat Sri Lanka’s mental health crisis

The Healing Minds Matter mobile app was launched recently and special invitees at the head table from left: Rtn. Michael Jayewardana, Rtn. Rasini Bandara, IPDG Sushena Ranatunga, District Governor Rtn. Delvin Pereira, Nivendra Uduman and Chaminda Jayasuriya- (Pics by Pradeep Pathirana )

In response to the deepening mental health crisis in the country, Rotary in Sri Lanka launched the next phase of its landmark mental health initiative - Rotary for Healing Minds Matter. Sri Lanka currently faces a deepening mental health emergency, with 3285 suicides reported in 2024. With the launch of the Healing Minds Matter mobile app, the Rotary movement aims to deploy trained gatekeepers to the grassroots communities and give vulnerable individuals a second chance to life. 
Launched in 2024-2025 under the leadership of Immediate Past District Governor (IPDG) Rtn. Sushena Ranatunga, Healing Minds Matter has rapidly grown into a nationally recognised movement. The initiative was brought to life by the Rotary Clubs of Colombo Mid Town and Colombo Port City.

Speaking at the launch, Healing Minds Matter project Co-Chair, Immediate Past President Rtn. Michael Jayawardana said that a little over a year ago, Rotary set out on a mission that was both ambitious and deeply human. “Together with my co-chair Rtn. Rasini Bandara, a dedicated team of Rotarians across the island reached over 11,000 people with programmes on mental well-being. We trained 310 QPR-certified suicide prevention gatekeepers, ordinary men and women who are now prepared to recognize warning signs of suicide and intervene with compassion and save lives. These are not just members but stories of young people who found hope, workers who found resilience and families who found strength. Every statistic hides a face and every life saved is a victory for humanity. The challenge before us is quite urgent and serious. Sri Lanka loses on average 10-12 people everyday to suicide and behind everyone of those numbers is a parent, friend, a child whose loss leaves a void that could never be filled,” he underscored. 

In its next chapter, the mobile app developed by Xigenix (Pvt) Ltd is aimed at connecting users with helplines, referral networks and vital resources. This chapter also includes a partnership with Lanka Life Line 1375, Sri Lanka’s 24/7 mental health hotline, an expanded drive aiming to reach 20,000 participants in schools, universities and workplaces over the next year, the certification of 500 additional QPR gatekeepers and the refurbishment of the 10,000 square feet Mental Health Wing at the Colombo University’s Faculty of Medicine which would house Sri Lanka’s first Rotary Mental Wellness Center. 

While commending the project members for their efforts, District Governor 2025/2026 Rtn. Delvin Pereira explained how the project addressed the Rotary action plan. “This project addressed a need of the community.  Sri Lanka is one of the countries with the highest suicide rate. After the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis we realised that socioeconomic problems were becoming an issue that was causing many suicides. So this group of Rotarians started work and here I would like to apply the three As – Access, Attention and Action. There was access to a group that identified a segment of society that needed attention and eventually they took action. But they needed to have dialogues with people, help them come out of stigma and then refer them to professionals who are gatekeepers. This project was having an impact on the society and we decided to take it forward. We had many partners coming on board and it ticked the box on enhancing participant engagement and we were also expanding reach in terms of knowledge. In addition we reached a new pinnacle by adopting to new technology,” he added. 

The gravity of the crisis

In his remarks IPDG Rtn. Sushena Ranatunga recalled an incident that triggered him to understand the gravity of the mental health crisis in the country. He recalled how two girls he had seen while on the way to Nuwara Eliya from Batticaloa had jumped off a bridge near Loggal Oya and how one girl had died. “The day following this incident I asked Rtn. Rasini for the statistics of suicide happening in Sri Lanka. We checked the Police Department website and it indicated that 10-12 people were committing suicide every day. We then realised that we can’t turn a blind eye. We saw an alarming number of suicides from the estate sector as well. Our job is to save lives and we do that every day. We have a project called Rotary for Little Hearts to save children losing lives due to congenital heart disease. Our objective by doing this programme is to reduce the numbers through the various initiatives taken through this project,” he added. 

The project continues to train people on the Question-Pursue-Refer methodology (QPR), conducting mental wellness programmes across the island. In terms of impact, the initiative has trained over 310 people as gatekeepers and touched the lives of over 11,000 people. Through the app, trained professionals would be deployed to communities, schools and various locations and give them rosters and will be playing a key role in creating an impact. The app would also allow them to track people whom they have reached out to. A poster campaign had also been created to reach out to people who don’t have mobile phones or technology. 

Speaking at the event Nivendra Uduman, Lead QPR and Mental Wellness Facilitator said that it’s important to learn first aid on mental health as well. “QPR includes three easy steps to persuade a person to take a second chance at life. By training Rotarians and people, we aim to develop a safe society. Due to the deafening silence we lose people every day. We should persuade people among us to talk, get help and give them a message about how important their life is. Every citizen in this country should be given this knowledge,” he underscored. 

Shedding light on the journey of suicide prevention in Sri Lanka, Ranil Thilakaratne, Chief Operating Officer at Lanka Life Line 1375 said that this hotline that is available 24/7 to anyone who wants to talk confidentially to a trained counselor and that the service is available in all three languages. “We also launched a second number +94 707 112 112 because we realized that not only Sri Lankans living here but those living overseas also prefer to talk to a Sri Lankan. We realized Sri Lankans living in the Middle East wanted to talk to someone. We get at least 200-250 calls a month from people living overseas. We don’t want people to call us every time, but we want them to know that they have an option other than ending their life. We are going to do a poster campaign at the grama niladhari office and police stations. But we are challenged with seeking approval to paste these posters.  Children as young as age 8 commit suicide. Over the past year 98 children between 8-16 have committed suicide. So this issue affects everybody, irrespective of age, geographical location and so on,” he said while thanking Rotary for taking the initiative to address the country’s mental health crisis. 

The project also received support from the government’s Clean Sri Lanka programme. Speaking at the event, Clean Sri Lanka Programme Representative Chaminda Jayasuriya said that action would be taken to expedite the poster campaign at all Grama Niladhari Offices and Police stations.