Olamma Cares is redefining mental health care in Nigeria through awareness, access, advocacy, and community empowerment with Olamma Cares..
Chioma Fakorede is changing the face of mental health care in Nigeria by expanding awareness, improving access to therapy, offering digital support, and empowering communities through the Olamma Cares Foundation.
Since 2017, the Olamma Cares Foundation has worked to reshape how Nigerians understand and respond to mental health challenges. Founded by Chioma, a bipolar disorder survivor, the organisation was born from personal experience but has grown into a national grassroots movement focused on awareness, advocacy, support, and inclusion for people living with mental health conditions. To date, the foundation has received over ₦110 million in grants and impacted more than 20,000 people.
Olamma Cares’ first mission has always been to challenge stigma. In many Nigerian communities, mental illness is still seen as a spiritual affliction, a taboo, or something to be concealed. The foundation is shifting that narrative by promoting awareness and social acceptance through education, public outreach, and storytelling. One of its most impactful projects is the short film CIRCLES, released in Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa, to spark conversations across language and cultural barriers.
Beyond raising awareness, Olamma Cares delivers real, immediate support. In Surulere, Lagos, it operates The Joy Hub—an outpatient therapy centre created in partnership with Joy Inc. Here, individuals can access free sessions with licensed therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists in a safe, non-judgmental environment. For those unable to visit in person, the foundation runs a 24/7 helpline and live online chat offering crisis support and mental health counselling at any hour. These services are complemented by anonymous online forums and bi-monthly support group meetings, creating safe spaces for open dialogue and emotional healing.
To reach even more people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation launched a Telemedicine Project with support from the UK’s Digital Access Programme. The initiative provided remote mental health services to over 5000 individuals in both rural and urban areas, many with limited digital access. It has since become a model for Nigeria’s community-based, tech-enabled mental health care.
Building capacity with Olamma Cares
Olamma Cares is also focused on capacity building. It has trained mental health first aiders across Nigeria to serve as frontline responders, equipped to provide basic mental health support, identify early warning signs, and refer individuals to professional care. This initiative has strengthened grassroots networks and improved mental health literacy within local communities.
The foundation is building what will be Nigeria’s largest mental health directory—a comprehensive, nationwide listing of hospitals, mental health facilities, NGOs, and care providers. The goal is to make it easier for Nigerians to access care, regardless of location.
Though widely recognised for its broader mental health initiatives today, Olamma Cares began by supporting individuals with autism and related conditions. That mission continues, with the foundation addressing the unique mental health needs of autistic individuals and their families, further underscoring its inclusive approach.
In just a few years, Olamma Cares Foundation has helped shift public attitudes, normalise mental health conversations, increase access to care, and empower communities. It is making mental health care in Nigeria more visible, accessible, and responsive.
