Light in the darkness
for cancer patients

Enat Birhan — "Mother's Light" — provides free mental health screening and support to cancer patients across Ethiopia, wherever they are.

How we help Get involved
48h
First contact
Free
Always, for patients
All
Cancer types & stages

Our mission

Every patient deserves
to be seen and heard

Cancer treatment in Ethiopia rarely integrates mental health support. We exist to close that gap — through compassionate, accessible, remote care.

The problem we're solving

Mental health is rarely integrated into cancer care wards in Ethiopia. There are few trained staff to address psychosocial needs alongside medical treatment, and almost no referral systems to connect patients with the support they need.

Our vision: every cancer patient in Ethiopia has access to mental health support, no matter where they live.

Tele-mental health

Phone and Zoom calls bringing support to patients remotely across Ethiopia.

Group counseling

One-to-one and group sessions for patients and their caregivers.

Referral pathways

Connecting severe cases to psychiatrists and mental health nurses.

Advocacy

Documenting outcomes to advocate for sustainable mental health integration.

The process

How we support patients

A structured five-step clinical pathway — from hospital referral to follow-up care.

1

Referral

Hospital refers patient to Enat Birhan

2

First contact

We call or message within 48 hours

3

Screening

PHQ-9 and GAD-7 assessment conducted

4a

Mild / moderate

Follow-up call, rescreen at 4 weeks

Ongoing care
4b

Severe cases

Referred to psychiatrist or mental health nurse

Specialist referral

Who we serve

We are here for patients
and those who love them

Patients

  • Adults and adolescents with cancer
  • Any stage — from diagnosis through treatment
  • Any cancer type
  • Anywhere in Ethiopia

Caregivers

  • Parents of patients
  • Spouses and partners
  • Adult children of patients
  • Anyone providing daily care

How we measure

Tracking what matters

Patients screened

Every patient screened is recorded to track our reach across Ethiopia.

Referrals made

Every referral to specialist services is logged to measure the severity of need.

Patient feedback

Satisfaction collected after each engagement to continuously improve care.

Transparency

What our service
does and doesn't include

What we provide

  • Mental health screening (PHQ-9 and GAD-7)
  • Tele-mental health via phone and Zoom
  • One-to-one and group counseling
  • Referral to specialist services
  • Four-week follow-up and rescreening

What we do not provide

  • Medication prescription
  • In-person home visits
  • Emergency crisis intervention

The people

Our team

Bemnet Wassie
Founder & Executive Director
Clinical lead, patient calls, and strategy
Joss Divin Ndikubway
Co-Director & Stakeholder Lead
Partnerships, outreach, and stakeholder engagement
Abraham Mekonen
IT & Digital Lead
Website, social media, and digital operations
Dr. Immaculata
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical oversight and psychological assessment
Henry Kuti
Strategy & Funding Advisor
Strategic direction, funding pathways, and organisational growth