Libremente

Libremente was created in Lima, Peru at La Victoria Lab following a series of devastating floods in 2017.

Our team sought to prototype ways to support the mental health of the mothers who survived the floods in Carapongo through SMS-based delivery of behavioral therapy exercises.

Over the course of a one-week pilot, we saw a near 100 percent participation rate, and a 68 percent response rate in a group of 30+ participating mothers. This group included mothers sharing phones — and therefore only one phone number could reply — and at least one mother who was illiterate.

In 2018, we worked with health providers in Puerto Rico to develop a second pilot for five local communities impacted by Hurricane María. After a six-week program, adult participants improved their perceived sense of support and learned about other resources in their community. Survey results and qualitative feedback showed reduced levels of stress and anxiety.

These results underscore the importance and scalability of a wide-reaching media intervention in the post-disaster recovery space, particularly in regards to underserved communities in need of mental health resources.

Team: Aashka Dave, Kari Strømhaug, Akemi Sato, La Victoria Lab, José Gallegos Torres, Dr. José Carrión, Koru, PUC, Clinica de Salud de COSSAO

Awards: MIT IDEAS Competition, 2018

Project Video