Ornella Dechen
Breaking barriers to mental health care
About
Ornella is a mental health counsellor and advocate from Madagascar. At 21years old, while experiencing anxiety and an eating disorder herself, she struggled to find affordable mental health support close to home. Her recovery showed her the importance of peer support and inspired her to create Water Yourself in 2021, an organization that makes mental health care easier to access and less stigmatised.
Work
Through Water Yourself, Ornella brings mental health support directly into schools, workplaces and local communities. Since 2024, the organisation has established 15 MentalHealth Hubs across Madagascar, providing safe spaces where people can access trained peer counsellors who provide initial support and connect them with professional care when needed. Her work has reached more than 3,000 people, with a particular focus on marginalised groups and climate-displaced communities. Ornella also advocates for mental health to be better funded and integrated into schools, healthcare systems and public policy.