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A charity · Est. 2024

Free mental health course through WhatsApp.

We’re beside you on your mental health journey.

What we do

We run a short, structured programme for people living with depression in places where formal care is out of reach. It costs almost nothing to deliver.

Who it helps

Adults with mild to moderate depression. We currently support participants in Lebanon, Egypt, Zambia and China, in their own languages.

Why it works

Peers — people who have lived through depression themselves — check in each week. The format is built on five randomised trials.

The programme

How it works

Five sessions over five weeks. Everything happens through WhatsApp — no clinic, no waiting room, no new apps to download.

  1. Sign up

    Enter your email address and create a free account. Takes two minutes.

  2. Get matched

    We pair you with a trained peer supporter — someone who has lived through depression themselves.

  3. Start session 1

    A short, guided reading sent straight to your phone. Around 20 minutes, at a time that suits you.

  4. Your peer checks in

    Between each session, your peer supporter messages to see how you’re doing. No pressure, just presence.

  5. Complete the course

    Five sessions done. Most people notice a real shift. Many stay in touch with their peer long after.

Eligibility

Is Beside right for me?

The programme is open to anyone experiencing low mood or depression. You don’t need a diagnosis, a referral, or any previous experience with therapy.

  • Are 18 or older
  • Are experiencing low mood, low energy, or depression
  • Have a smartphone with WhatsApp installed
  • Can commit around 20 minutes per week for five weeks
  • Are not currently in mental health crisis
If you’re struggling right now and need urgent support, please reach out to a crisis line in your country. Beside is not an emergency service. Find support near you →
What you’ll get

  • Evidence-based

    Built on the WHO Step-by-Step programme, tested in five randomised controlled trials across four countries.

  • Real peer support

    Your supporter has been through depression themselves. They’re not a chatbot or a helpline script.

  • Completely free

    No fees, no subscription, no waiting list. Beside is a charity — the programme will always be free.

  • WhatsApp only

    No new apps, no video calls, no clinic visits. If you have WhatsApp, you have everything you need.

  • Your language

    Currently available in Arabic, English, French, and Mandarin. More languages are on the way.

What people say

I didn’t think a WhatsApp programme could help. But having someone check in on me every week — someone who actually understood — made a bigger difference than I expected.
Hana, 34 Beirut, Lebanon
I’d been on a waiting list for therapy for eight months. Beside was there when nothing else was. By session three I could feel myself starting to come back.
James, 28 Lusaka, Zambia
The sessions are short enough that you can actually do them. And knowing my peer had been through it herself meant I didn’t have to explain from the beginning.
Nour, 41 Cairo, Egypt
The case so far
$97 per DALY averted

One disability-adjusted life year — a year of healthy life — averted for roughly the cost of a pair of shoes. Across five randomised controlled trials in four countries, brief peer-supported programmes have produced meaningful reductions in PHQ-9 scores.

Read the full evidence summary →

Cost-effectiveness estimate, AIM Research, 2024. Comparable interventions sit between $500–$3,000 per DALY.

Free. No waiting list.

You can do this.

Taking the first step is the hardest part. Everything after that, we do together. Enter your email to get started — it takes two minutes.

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