To combat the silence and stigma surrounding mental health in Nigeria, the Asido Foundation launched advocacy walks and online campaigns. What began as a single campus walk at the University of Ibadan in 2019 has grown into a national movement, with events in cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Maiduguri by 2023. These initiatives combine street sensitization with powerful digital amplification to break taboos, raise awareness, and foster open dialogue. This community-driven effort is successfully turning stigma into support and encouraging people to seek help.

In Nigeria, silence around mental health has long been fed by myths, stigma, and discrimination. Too often, conversations are avoided until tragedy strikes. Determined to shift this culture of silence, the Asido Foundation created its advocacy walks and online campaigns—community-driven movements designed to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and encourage help-seeking.

The very first step was taken on September 10, 2019, at the University of Ibadan. Marking World Suicide Prevention Day, students marched through campus in a rally that sparked conversations about suicide awareness and prevention. What began as a single campus initiative planted the seed for something much larger.

By September 2021, the walk had grown. Again at the University of Ibadan, the campaign expanded beyond suicide to also address drug abuse, spotlighting how substance use and mental health are deeply connected. Students, staff, and community members joined, creating a wave of open dialogue in spaces where silence had once been the norm.

In 2023, the vision reached a national scale. Under the theme “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right,” Asido Foundation coordinated multi-city street sensitizations. The energy spread across Ibadan, Abuja, Lagos, and Maiduguri. From First Gate and Sango Junction in Ibadan, to the Old Parade Ground in Abuja, to Sabo Roundabout in Lagos, and Post Office Roundabout in Maiduguri, the message was clear: mental health matters, and it is everybody’s business.

The momentum didn’t stop on the streets. Online campaigns amplified each walk with videos, shareable graphics, and social media conversations that carried the message further than a rally ever could. Webinars and live sessions tied to global observances like World Suicide Prevention Day and World Mental Health Day created spaces for dialogue on emerging issues, ensuring that advocacy didn’t end when the banners came down.

Today, advocacy walks are among the Foundation’s flagship programs. They are tied to global observances but also rooted in communities, blending street engagement with digital amplification. Students, professionals, families, and even international partners have joined, proving that mental health advocacy is stronger when voices rise together.

The impact has been profound. For many, seeing mental health discussed openly in public spaces breaks down fear and shame. Families and friends of people living with mental illness have felt the solidarity of community support. Conversations that were once whispers are becoming open, courageous dialogues. The evidence is visible: multi-city participation, distribution of thousands of awareness materials, and online engagement that extends far beyond event days.

But this is just the beginning. The movement is growing, and every voice matters. Join the next walk. Volunteer. Partner with us on your campus or in your community. Donate to help sustain year-round campaigns that keep mental health in the spotlight.

For more details or to get involved, call 08180777458.