Foundation Leads Conversation on Mental Health, Inclusion with Short Film
In celebration of its fourth anniversary, last week, Olamma Cares Foundation rolled out a short film that portrays the need for mental awareness in Nigeria.
The documentary, CIRCLES, released in Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa, will also go a long way to show the importance of having conversations about mental health and the need for a support system for everyone.
Speaking about CIRCLES, Olamma Cares Founder, Chioma Nwosu explained the importance of using the media as a tool to spread positive messages. “As an organisation, we understand that the media is a great tool to pass across a message. We decided to leverage drama to drive home key points about mental health and its issues in Nigeria.. “Having this short film in different languages also makes it easier for individuals living in underserved communities to also be a part of this cause,” Nwosu noted.
CIRCLES premiered on March 30, 2021 to celebrate Olamma Care Foundation’s fourth aniversary.
From rural to urban communities in Nigeria, one thing is common - the sheer denial of mental issues among Nigerians and in various communities and social structures. However, as is the foundation’s aim, more and more Nigerians are becoming aware of mental issues and have shown adequate interest in seeking mental support where needed. Olamma Cares, having positioned itself to provide mental support for those who need it, has also been able to reach out to over 5000 individuals across Nigeria within the past four months with its Telemedicine Project.
In celebrating its fourth anniversary, the foundation in collaboration with the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office for the Digital Access Programme, provided mental health support across various communities in Nigeria within the past four months. The project which is aimed at providing Mental Health Support for Digitally Underserved Persons in Nigeria during the COVID-19 has successfully fostered digital inclusion by promoting effective, sustainable and viable community based mental health care that leverages on creative solutions to provide telemedicine to digitally underserved communities in Nigeria.
Established in 2017, Olamma Cares Foundation has continued to raise the awareness on mental health and mental health issues in Nigeria by encouraging the social acceptance of people living with mental health conditions and the provision of support for persons living with a mental health condition or in need of mental health support.