Adolescents are especially susceptible to anxiety and depressive disorders and not only are girls more than three times as likely as boys to have depressive symptoms, but statistics also show that suicide is now the biggest cause of death among Indian women and adolescent girls between the ages of 15 and 19. In spite of these alarming statistics, mental health remains an underdeveloped and understaffed field in India. Stigma and discrimination around mental health issues further exacerbate the lack of access to trustworthy healthcare providers, compounded by the prevailing socio-cultural mindset. 

The Sunshine Collective is a humanitarian project designed to help girls from underprivileged communities in India receive a comprehensive, multidisciplinary intervention for their teenage mental health. The Sunshine Collective works to increase awareness and accessibility to psychological well-being among socioeconomically disadvantaged communities by arranging free adolescent counseling for girls, creating educational materials explaining biochemical changes in teenagers, sharing information about start-ups doing innovative work in the field of mental health, and creating storybooks to help young adults better navigate and understand puberty. 

To date, The Sunshine Collective has published ‘The Sunshine Guide,’ exploring commonly faced challenges by adolescents through the lens of biology and developmental psychology. The guide hopes to educate young readers of the key neurotransmitters and hormones at play and their implications for developmental stages. The Sunshine Collective now seeks to support Delhi based NGO Prajna Foundation’s ongoing efforts in uplifting the youth and improving the mental health and well-being of adolescents from underserved communities. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards organizing professional counseling and well-being workshops for these students. Please join us in making a tangible difference in this sphere!