African PTSD Relief
BILL DUKE video A project across Africa for PTSD Relief Now Who we help Overview: One leading psychiatrist, Dr. Eugene Allers, past-president of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, estimates that whereas there has not been outright war in South Africa, up to 25% of the entire population may have PTSD. In war-torn countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, etc. estimates range from 25% to 50% or more of the entire population suffering from PTSD. Therefore APR estimates that roughly 10% of the one billion people of Africa, or 100 million Africans, have PTSD. 1. Targeted organizations which may have PTSD groups within them include: schools, businesses, military units, organized refugee camps, social NGO service organizations, etc. 2. African PTSD Relief will primarily focus on supporting the delivery of the TM technique in organizations that have the structure, time and space to allow two times per day practice of the TM technique. 3. An example of a demonstration project in a school, supported by the African PTSD Relief organization: Two groups of college age students, age 17-30 were tested for PTSD in Johannesburg, South Africa. They were then instructed into the TM technique and monitoring continued. The test data showed clearly that the students with PTSD had a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms within 15 days, and the effect was sustained over the 105 day test period. The control, non-TM technique group, had no change over the entire 105-day test period. Results from this test are being prepared for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. 4. An example of a demonstration project with refugees, with periodic ongoing support from the African PTSD Relief organization: Two pilot studies, conducted in Uganda, with Congolese war refugees demonstrated a rapid reduction in PTSD symptoms in as little as 10 days after learning the TM technique, and subjects were non-symptomatic within 30 days. 5. Examples of countries in which PTSD Relief Now provides or will provide support: a. South Africa - African PTSD Relief is currently researching the prevalence of PTSD in South Africa and testing the changes in PTSD in students at Maharishi Institute and University of Johannesburg before and after learning the TM program. Schools projects across South Africa are in progress. We have a written Request for funding for one school with 750 students with high levels of PTSD. Quotes from Maharishi Institute students here, when approved: b. Kenya --- APR is developing projects in schools with high levels of PTSD to reduce PTSD. 5 schools with over 2000 students, many with high levels of PTSD, have requested support for PTSD Relief projects and 1 orphanage. c. Namibia – Taught TM to founder of non-profit whose goal is to reduce PTSD. Currently developing projects. d. Senegal – Project Development in progress – request from mental health organizations to incorporate TM into their routine for people with PTSD. e. Uganda – APR funded a research project on TM and PTSD that produced two papers in the Journal of Traumatic Stress showing that within 30 days refugees with high levels of symptoms became non-symptomatic. The non-TM control group showed no reduction in symptoms within the 135 day study. Funding included teaching TM to all participants. f. Rwanda – funding request for grant to test how TM reduces PTSD in the general population. g. Mali – |