Our Story & Mission
A foundation built on lived experience, professional expertise, and the belief that mental healthcare is a human right.
Who We Are
The Hope House of Ceylon (HHC) is a non-profit organisation registered in the Netherlands, with people working alongside the organisation from Sri Lanka and plans to register there in the future. We are dedicated to mental health advocacy and holistic wellbeing. We were founded by Pavithra Perera WJA — an international law expert, senior consultant, human rights activist, former BBC World Service journalist, and artist — who recognised that mental health support in South Asia and among diaspora communities remains critically under-resourced.
We are a young organisation, honest about where we are in our journey. We don't have all the answers yet, but we have a clear direction, a committed team, and the determination to build something meaningful.
A world where no one has to hide their struggles — where seeking help is met with open doors, not closed minds.
Our Mission
We create safe spaces for wellbeing by combining therapy, practical tools, and community care. Our approach bridges Eastern wisdom and Western practice — drawing from Ayurveda, Buddhist philosophy, and contemporary psychology to build a model of care that is culturally grounded and clinically informed.
We believe that lasting change happens when healing is accessible, holistic, and rooted in the lived realities of the communities we serve.
The Four Gaps We Bridge
Globally, mental healthcare is failing the people who need it most. We've identified four critical gaps that our work aims to address:
Treatment Gap
In many countries, over 75% of people with mental health conditions receive no treatment at all. We work to close this gap through accessible, community-based programmes.
Knowledge Gap
Stigma thrives where understanding is absent. Through workshops, storytelling, and public engagement, we build mental health literacy from the ground up.
Rights Gap
Mental health is a human right, yet it is rarely protected as one. We advocate for legal frameworks that safeguard the dignity and autonomy of those seeking care.
Wellness Gap
Prevention is as important as treatment. We promote holistic wellbeing — nutrition, mindfulness, and daily rituals — so people can build resilience before crisis strikes.
Our Values
Reliability
We follow through on what we say. In a space where trust is everything, we are committed to consistency, transparency, and accountability in all that we do.
Trust
We create environments where people feel safe to be vulnerable. Trust is not assumed — it is earned through respect, confidentiality, and genuine care.
Empowerment
We don't just offer support — we equip people with tools, knowledge, and confidence to sustain their own wellbeing long after our programmes end.
How We're Different
We are developing a unique approach that integrates Ayurvedic and Buddhist traditions with evidence-based Western therapeutic practice — not as alternatives, but as complements.
Our programmes address the whole person — mind, body, and community. From cooking workshops to art therapy, we treat wellbeing as interconnected, not compartmentalised.
Every workshop, event, and resource is designed so participants leave with something practical — a recipe, a breathing technique, a new perspective — that they can weave into daily life.