A student-led foundation,
rooted in action.
Healing Hearts Foundation is a student-led mental health education initiative — reducing stigma, building awareness and creating safe spaces for young people.
Trained to understand.
Driven to act.
Healing Hearts was founded by Gia Narang and Mihikaa Jhaveri after completing the Teen Mental Health First Aid Australia programme through MPower. The training gave us a stronger understanding of how young people can recognise, respond to and speak openly about mental health challenges within their communities.
From there, we developed an evidence-informed mental health curriculum, piloted it with NGOs and refined it using feedback from students, educators and on-ground facilitators. We then expanded its reach by training teachers and supporting its implementation across community organisations.
To reduce stigma and strengthen mental health literacy through evidence-informed education, community outreach and accessible support.
A generation of young people equipped with the awareness, language and confidence to care for their own mental wellbeing and support those around them.
Mental health literacy helps communities recognise concerns, respond appropriately and seek support earlier, before challenges escalate.
Gia Narang & Mihikaa Jhaveri
As certified Teen Mental Health First Aiders through MPower, Gia and Mihikaa founded Healing Hearts to spread awareness, reduce stigma and create safe spaces where young people feel heard, supported and empowered.
Certified Teen Mental Health First Aider (MPower / Teen MHFA Australia). Leads curriculum design, research and NGO partnerships.
Certified Teen Mental Health First Aider (MPower / Teen MHFA Australia). Leads outreach, programming and community engagement.
Our journey so far.
- 012023
Teen Mental Health First Aid Certification
Completed the Teen Mental Health First Aid certification through Mpower and Mental Health First Aid Australia, building a strong foundation in youth mental health, crisis recognition and peer support.
- 022023 – Present
Mental Health Champions
Became Mental Health Champions at Aditya Birla World Academy, encouraging open conversations around mental health and supporting school initiatives centred on awareness, empathy and early intervention.
- 032024
Healing Hearts Foundation
Healing Hearts Foundation was founded with one central mission: Break the Stigma. Mentored by Ms. Aachal Jain, Pastoral Care Coordinator at Aditya Birla World Academy, we began with no followers, donations or NGO partnerships – only a shared commitment to making mental-health support more accessible to young people.
- 042024
Research and Curriculum Design
Before developing solutions, we focused on understanding the problem. Through NGO visits, discussions with mental-health professionals, school initiatives and extensive research, we identified the challenges young people face and began designing a curriculum created by teens, for teens. During the same period, we launched our blog to encourage youth voices and expand conversations around mental health across India.
- 052024
Fundraising and Community Impact
To turn awareness into action, we launched fundraising initiatives through Healing Hearts products, exhibitions and community bake sales.
Products- Candles
- Necklaces
Early community initiatives- Sponsored the education of 15 underprivileged girls
- Donated 55 packets of sanitary pads
- Funded a sanitary-pad incinerator for an NGO
- 062024
Building Awareness
We expanded our reach through social media, educational blogs and school campaigns, creating a growing platform where young people could learn, share experiences and contribute to conversations around mental health.
- 072025
Pilot NGO Sessions
After a year of research and development, we piloted our curriculum across three NGOs. Feedback from students, educators and partner organisations helped us refine each session and shape the programme we deliver today.
- 082025
Growth and Expansion
Healing Hearts continued to grow through stronger partnerships and a wider student community.
Highlights- Curriculum implemented across 5 NGOs
- ₹1.5 lakh+ donated
- Expanded to a 10-member team
- 500+ social-media followers
- 30+ blog articles published by youth writers across India
- 092025
Research and Recognition
Our research paper, “To What Extent Does the Commercialization of Digital Mindfulness Platforms Contribute to Inequalities in Access to Mental Health Resources?”, was selected for presentation at the Adani International School research seminar. The full paper has been completed and is being prepared for publication.
The work received- Best Abstract
- Best Speaker
- 102025 – Present
Teacher Training
To create lasting impact beyond individual workshops, we began training educators in states including Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. This allows schools and partner organisations to implement the curriculum independently and extend its reach through a multiplier effect.
- 11Present and Future Vision
Today and Beyond
What began as an idea shared by two students has grown into a youth-led foundation working to make mental-health education more accessible.
Our Vision- 40+ student volunteers
- 20 NGO partnerships across Mumbai
- Teacher training across 5 Indian states
- 10,000+ young people impacted
- ₹5 lakh+ in community donations
- 10,000+ social-media followers
- 50+ articles across 15 mental-health topics
- Research published in leading journals and presented at national conferences
Developed through practice, feedback and revision.
Healing Hearts develops its programmes through a continuous process of implementation and evaluation. Our workshops and curriculum are first introduced in partner NGOs, where we assess how students engage with the material, how effectively activities communicate key ideas, and how suitable the content is for different age groups and learning environments.
Feedback from students, teachers and facilitators is then used to revise the structure, language and delivery of each session. This allows our programmes to remain practical, accessible and responsive to the communities in which they are implemented.
Our work is led by a team of students who contribute to programme development, facilitation, research, writing, partnerships and outreach. This student-led structure allows young people to play an active role in designing initiatives intended for their own generation.