How we work
We're a team of researchers, engineers, operators, and mental health professionals united by a single mission: making effective mental health care accessible to every young person who needs it.
Whoever you are, wherever you come from, you are now a Shamirian.
We need you to help us build a world where youths, anywhere, can thrive. Together, we will create this world by scaling effective, appropriate, and accessible mental health interventions.
What unites and guides all of us is our commitment to our shared values, our mission of enabling thriving African youths, and our vision of shaping the future we aspire to.
— By the first Shamirians, to all past, present, and future Shamirians. August 19th, 2021.
Eight values. Lived, not listed.
Data-Driven
Rigorous research that honors the communities we serve
12+ RCTs, 35+ publications, published in JAMA, Lancet, BMJ. We don't guess — we test.
Grassroots
Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution
3,000+ Shamiri Fellows: 18-22-year-old Kenyans delivering therapy to their peers in their communities.
Growth-Minded
Passion, work ethic, and the pursuit of potential
Our intervention literally teaches growth mindset — and so does our culture. We invest in people who are becoming, not just people who already are.
Nimble
Yesterday's decisions don't dictate tomorrow's
From paper forms to shamiriOS in 3 years. From 51 participants in 2018 to 200,000+ youth in 2025. We rebuild when the evidence says to.
Clear & Transparent
Everyone understands the 'why' behind our choices
Open-access publications. Public impact data. Transparent decision-making. If we can't explain it clearly, we haven't thought it through.
Collaborative
We learn from and with each other
Cross-functional teams: researchers sit with engineers sit with fellows. Science Advisory Board + Tech Advisory Board + field teams — all feeding one system.
Hardworking
Excellence requires sustained effort
We're a Champions League team, not a recreational squad. We hire the best and give them the freedom to do their best work.
Fun
Joy and connection fuel sustainability
Team-building across the org. Named meeting rooms. The Crimson Café. We take our work seriously and ourselves lightly.
Six pillars of how we operate
More than values — these are the management principles that shape every team, every decision, and every day at Shamiri.
- Inspired by the same value-affirmation science behind the Shamiri intervention itself
- Every hire, every priority call, every hard conversation starts with values
- The Credo is read at every onboarding
- We measure people by how much, how quickly, and how well they get their work done — not by how many late nights they work
- Adequate performance gets a respectful severance
- Outstanding performance gets recognition, growth, and impact
- Self-motivated, self-aware, self-disciplined, self-improving
- Acts like a leader. Doesn't wait to be told what to do
- Picks up the trash lying on the floor — metaphorically and literally
- Clear goals understood by all
- Leaders coordinate and seek perspectives
- Big, fast, and flexible
- High-performance people work better when they understand the why
- Control only when someone is new or in an emergency
- The best managers make themselves unnecessary
- If a manager would promote someone to keep them from leaving, they should promote them now
- We create stretch opportunities, not waiting rooms
- Feedback is continuous, not annual
7,000 sq ft in Nairobi
The largest space dedicated to mental health research and innovation in Africa. Every room tells a story.
Campus photos and room stories coming soon.
Purpose. Belonging. Growth. Meaning. Joy.
Hear from Shamirians across the organization — from fellows in the field to engineers at the Campus — about what it means to be part of this team.
Shamiri Institute · Culture Film · Coming soon
Sound like your kind of place?
We're always looking for talented people who want to build at the intersection of science, technology, and impact.
View open roles →"Listen Ocol, my old friend, the ways of your ancestors are good, their customs are solid and not hollow. They are not thin, not easily breakable. They cannot be blown away by the winds because their roots reach deep into the soil."
— Okot P'Bitek