Four grassroots, community-led mental health organisations  
A team of 25 creatives across five countries unite  
One story.  
Countless ways to care.  
 

Presenting What Makes You Proud: How Communities Care for Mental Health is a globally collaborative film sharing the stories of four grassroots, community-led organisations across Nigeria, Palestine, Colombia, and Vietnam. 

At its heart, the film tells one story: while mental health is complex, there is hope - and it begins in community.  
Watch the film here.
 
Thank you to every community member who opened their world to us - your stories are the heart of this film.  Huge thanks to the organisation leaders whose courage, creativity, and conviction make community-led care possible. 

Why we made this film?

When we began imagining What Makes You Proud, it wasn’t just about making a film. It was about creating space, a pause, for the community-led mental health organisations we met during the Ember Call-Out 2024 to look back, reflect, and smile. 

In a sector that so often focuses on overcoming challenges, we wanted to shift the lens to pride, to the everyday acts of courage, care, and creativity that make healing possible. 

During the Call-Out interviews, we asked a simple question: What are you proud of achieving through your work at this organisation?

What began as a simple interview question became a powerful reminder of resilience and hope. We wanted to celebrate the quiet victories of community-led organisations that continue to nurture care, connection, and belonging, often against all odds. 

We also wanted to offer something deeper: visibility.

Community-based mental health initiatives are often the first to care for others and the last to be seen themselves. This film became a space, and hopefully a process, where those who are constantly supporting their communities were reminded that they are not isolated, that their work matters, and that it deserves recognition. Though their contexts differ, each story shares one goal: to build systems of care rooted in creativity, support, and belonging. 

The making of the film: A local-global collaboration 

Filmed across continents in collaboration with local filmmakers, the project brought together 25 creatives and changemakers from around the world.  

From the outset, we were clear about one thing: the stories in this film would be steered by the organisations themselves. 

At Ember, the creative storytelling process is co-owned by CLMHIs. This means collaborative brainstorming, co-owned decisions, and full transparency in every creative storytelling choice.  

So, it was an obvious decision to work with local film crews on the ground in each country. In August 2025, local crews in Nigeria, Palestine, Latin America, and Vietnam visited the organisations to document their work firsthand.  
 
Working locally ensured the language and cultural nuance of each place were captured. The process opened up new perspectives for the film teams themselves, deepening their understanding of how mental health is lived, shaped, and spoken about within their own communities. 
 
“On the first day I arrived, the children didn’t quite know how to react to me. I had a large camera and tripod, and it was clear they saw something new, fascinating, maybe even a little scary. Some were curious, some shy, and some just ignored it. But there was this one boy that kept watching the camera, fascinated. Sometimes he would stand behind me, completely absorbed by the process of filming. By the last day, he was standing right next to me, watching what I was capturing through the lens, I felt as if the camera opened a little window for him into another world.” 
 
Filmmaker Ana Maria, Director: Al-Malath (Palestine), when asked, about moments that stood out to her the most during the shoot of the film 

Creative direction and editing unfolded collaboratively across the UK and India, in close partnership with the Ember Creative team, Director and Editor Reiff Gaskell and his team, including music composers, colourists, and sound artists. 

In total, 25 creatives across five countries came together to shape this film. This hybrid model made the project possible. It reflects the trust we placed in a distributed team, united by a shared commitment to tell these stories with integrity and care.

“Advocacy and storytelling go hand in hand in breaking stigma and inspiring change... It is our hope that this film will not only highlight their efforts but also spark global conversations, inspire more partnerships, and encourage societies to treat mental health with the urgency and care it deserves.”- Nadine Ibrahim, Director, Friends Advocacy For Mental Health Initiative (FAMHI) Film 

Meet the organisations

In Vietnam, movement becomes medicine. “Each of us carries hidden stories,” says Minh Bui, founder of Vietnam Dance/Movement Therapy (VDMT). “Dance allows us to honour those stories and express truths that words alone cannot.” VDMT pioneers the use of Dance/Movement Therapy to nurture emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. 

In Nigeria, hope takes the form of a club. Led by the Friends Advocacy for Mental Health Initiative (FAM Initiative), the Adolescents Safe Haven Club offers a safe, inclusive space where young people find mentorship and guidance. “Change begins where you are,” says founder Jecinta Egbim. “Every small act of empathy counts.” 

In Palestine, care becomes strength. Through inclusive programmes for youth with intellectual disabilities, Al-Malath Charitable Society shows how patience and compassion can dismantle stigma and create belonging, one conversation at a time. 

In Colombia, rhythm meets resistance. Born as a political act of care, Corporación LBT Raras No Tan Raras weaves art, education, and activism to uplift lesbian, bisexual, and trans women across the Caribbean. “Mental health is an essential part of human dignity and the right to live in freedom and fullness,” team members Made Camargo & Mayré Rivero remind us. “Resistance is also woven from tenderness and from the defence of life.” 

Conclusion

What Makes You Proud is a celebration: of community leadership, of creative care, and of the many ways healing takes shape across the world.

Across these diverse journeys, one truth stands out: while mental health is complex, there is hope — and it begins in community. 
 
This film is an invitation: to acknowledge the many ways communities are already leading the work of healing. It is also a reminder that community-led mental health organisations are not peripheral to the future of care. They are central to it.