A Minds at Peace Foundation programme
PUKAR
پکار · First call
Often the first person a family turns to.
Pukar means “a call”, and a cry for help. When someone is struggling, the first conversation often happens not in a clinic but in a mosque, temple, gurdwara or church, or in an elder’s front room. PUKAR equips faith and community leaders to recognise the signs, respond with care, and connect people with professional support.
The first conversation rarely happens in a clinic.
In many South Asian communities, a family worried about a son, a daughter or a parent turns first to a faith leader, an elder or a respected figure in the community. These leaders are trusted, available and close to home. Most have never been trained to recognise a mental-health problem, or to know where to refer someone.
PUKAR closes that gap, so that the first call leads to the right help.
What the programme does.
- Training. Practical mental-health awareness for faith leaders, elders and community workers, developed with clinicians and delivered in community languages.
- Referral pathways. Clear links between community leaders and credible local mental-health services.
- Shared language. Resources that help leaders talk about mental health in ways that respect faith and culture, without replacing professional care.
Who we work with.
- Imams and mosque committees
- Priests, pandits and temple communities
- Granthis and gurdwara committees
- Church leaders and pastors
- Elders, community workers and youth leaders
- Community centres and faith-based charities
How we work.
- Respect for faith. PUKAR takes no theological position. It works with communities of every faith and of none.
- Professional partnership. Every training module is developed with qualified clinicians.
- Clear limits. Leaders are trained to recognise, respond and refer, not to diagnose or treat.
Faith and professional care are not alternatives. PUKAR helps them work together.
Bring PUKAR to your community.
If you lead or serve a faith or community organisation, we would like to work with you.
Need help now?
If you are in immediate danger
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services now.
United Kingdom
- 999Emergency services, if a life is at risk.
- 111NHS 111. Choose the mental health option for urgent help.
- 116 123Samaritans. Free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Text SHOUT to 85258Shout. Free, confidential, 24/7 text support.
Pakistan
- 1122Rescue 1122 emergency service.
India
- 14416 or 1-800-891-4416Tele-MANAS, the national mental-health helpline. Free, 24/7, in multiple languages.
Minds at Peace is an awareness, advocacy and support-access organisation. It is not an emergency service and does not replace qualified medical or mental-health professionals.
For non-emergency concerns, consider speaking with a qualified mental-health professional. We add numbers only after checking them with the service, and our list grows as our resource directory develops.
UK numbers checked with Samaritans, the NHS and Shout. Rescue 1122 checked with the Punjab Emergency Service. Tele-MANAS checked against Government of India sources. October 2026.