In much of West Africa, mental illness is regarded as a sign of possession, leaving the sick wandering or living in chains. Through the work of Grégoire Ahongbonon, a visionary African activist and auto mechanic by training, over 140,000 people have been given their dignity back. In October 2015, a group of Americans found his story in the New York Times. Compelled to support his work, this group of health professionals and social advocates came together to form Treatment Not Chains to support the dignity and recovery of people living with mental illnesses in West Africa.