REPSSI (Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative)

REPSSI (the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative) is the leading African psychosocial support organisation. REPSSI’s vision is that all communities and families nurture, protect and empower their children and youth. REPSSI has strong partnerships with governments (particularly the ministries responsible for social services, education and health), development partners, international organisations and NGOs in thirteen countries of East and Southern Africa.

These countries include the twelve countries with the highest adult HIV prevalence rates in the world. For over ten years REPSSI has provided technical capacity enhancement to its partners to strengthen communities’ and families’ ability to promote the psychosocial wellbeing of their children and youth.

REPSSI is headquartered and registered in South Africa. It has three other fully fledged offices in Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe and presence in a further nine countries. It is registered in six of these countries and is in the process of seeking registration in all others.

REPSSI is a technical partner to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in their programme for Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth. Through this partnership, REPSSI has engaged in the development of the regional OVCY strategy, business plan, Minimum Package of Services for OVCY (MPS) and Psychosocial Support Conceptual Framework, as well as national domestication of these. It is seeking a similar relationship with the East African Community (EAC). REPSSI has supported the Governments of Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania in the development of guidelines, frameworks and manuals for PSS. REPSSI is currently supporting the Government of Uganda and will be supporting the Government of Kenya in the production of a national PSS manual and PSS guidelines respectively.

Countries Involved