From silence to speech
“I had never dared to say what I was living through. In the salon, I found the words.”
“I learned to listen without judgement, and to refer when a situation needs more support.”
Good intentions are not enough.
Scale requires evidence. Trust requires transparency.
Impact
Impact, By the Numbers
In just 5 years, the system has delivered measurable results across multiple countries:
+1200
Hairdressers trained
hairdressers trained in mental health first aid
751
Certified ambassadors
hairdressers certified as mental health ambassadors
1.6M+
Women reached
women reached with early support and care
<1€
Cost efficiency
Cost per woman reached
Other tracked indicators
XXReferralspeople referred to specialised support
+82Partnersinstitutional, technical, funding and media partners
64+Training facilitatorsmobilized across Heal by Hair sessions, including 2026
88.9%Well-beingreport improved well-being
+20%Incomeaverage income increase among supported women
353MCampaignspeople reached through large-scale stigma reduction campaigns
These figures are not projections. They reflect documented reach, verified outputs and measured outcomes.
What we deploy at scale must work and must be demonstrable.
What the Evidence Enables
Evidence guides what we take to scale.
Design Programme design and adaptation.
Care Safeguarding and supervision protocols.
Operations Cost and workforce planning.
Policy Government dialogue for institutional uptake.
Ongoing Research
What We Are Testing Now
Durability Impact durability over time (beyond the intervention period).
Comparative effectiveness Comparative effectiveness of referral-only vs. integrated group-based models.
Cost-effectiveness Cost-effectiveness at scale.
Public-sector integration Pathways to public-sector integration, including workforce certification and supervision models.
4,800Women, 2025–2027
This includes a randomised controlled trial involving 4,800 women (2025-2027), conducted with independent research partners and funded by The Fonds d’Innovation pour le Développement (FID).
Impact, By Their Voices
Numbers show scale. Stories show meaning.
Across salons, schools and communities, each shift is told through two voices: the client and the hairdresser ambassador.
From isolation to connection
“I thought I was alone. The circle showed me that other women understood.”
“When a woman comes back to talk, I know the trust is starting to work.”
From fear to agency
“Before, I was afraid to ask for help. Now I know where to begin.”
“I do not carry everything alone. I know how to welcome, protect and refer.”
These voices are consistent signals of behavioural change.
The impact of one Heal by Hair training in Lomé is something Togolese psychiatrists could not have achieved in ten years.
Reports & Publications
Our complete documentation is public. Read it, share it, support us.