Pavel Reppo

Pavel Reppo: Driving Change in Global Mental Health

Pavel Reppo is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Finemind, an organization that provides community mental health services in Northern Uganda.123 He is a passionate advocate for sustainable positive change and believes in the power of big ideas to transform lives.2

Key Facts about Pavel Reppo

• Founder and previous CEO of The Wayfaring Band, an organization that creates travel opportunities for adults experiencing intellectual disabilities2
• Mentor at Watson University in Boulder, Colorado, providing guidance and feedback for student scholars developing solutions to global challenges2
• Community Experience Coordinator at Engineers Without Borders Canada, investing in the development of leaders and enabling them to champion systems-change2
• Respite Care Provider at Imagine!, providing home care and mentorship to a young man experiencing special needs2
• Recipient of the Beanstalk Foundation Leader award2

Finemind: A Scalable Solution for Global Mental Health

Finemind offers systemic, scalable, and comprehensive solutions for global mental health by tapping into the power of community.2 The organization recruits, trains, and employs non-professionals to provide people with the resources they need to recover from common mental disorders.2

Finemind has successfully implemented a lay worker-led mental healthcare program in Kampala, Uganda and has expanded to the post-conflict Agago District.2 The organization's values emphasize leading with kindness, practicing self-compassion, and offering love, generosity, and care to others.3

Pavel's Personal Journey

Pavel's own struggles with mental health challenges, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety, have been a driving force behind his work with Finemind.4 He believes that our greatest resource is our people and that an overreliance on specialists leaves us dependent and at the whim of others.4

Pavel's life was transformed by reading the book "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse during his teenage years.4 The story of the Buddha and a young man dissatisfied with his life inspired Pavel to take on challenges and pursue his calling.4

As Executive Director of Finemind, Pavel is committed to doing the next best thing and asking himself daily, "What's the next best thing I can do?"4 He is dedicated to building a world where everyone has access to the mental health resources they need to thrive.