Olamma Cares Foundation, a prominent NGO based in Ibadan, has launched a dedicated mental-health support programme aimed at women, with the goal of addressing the rising burden of emotional and psychological issues among females in the region.
Founder and Executive Director Chioma Fakorede stated that the initiative is designed to provide safe spaces for counselling, peer support networks, awareness campaigns and digital access to therapy, especially for women in underserved and rural communities. She emphasised that women often carry hidden mental-health burdens due to social expectations, caregiving responsibilities and limited access to care.
According to her, the programme will roll out in phases: starting with community workshops and mobile-clinic visits, followed by a tele-counselling platform and partnerships with local health practitioners. The Foundation further pledges to train women as “mental-health ambassadors” to drive peer education and reduce stigma within their communities.
As part of its momentum, the Foundation also noted that it has previously partnered with the UK’s FCDO-led Digital Access Programme to reach digitally underserved Nigerians. In this new phase, the women-centred focus is meant to complement national efforts to increase access to mental-health services and align with the Nigeria Mental Health Act 2021 framework.
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