About us

Get to know us, introduction of ours!

The Nightingale Mental Health Foundation was founded by Ms. Folorunso Olubukola, a dedicated mental health specialist and advocate whose journey began with a pivotal personal experience.

Years ago, after their youth service, a close friend experienced a sudden and traumatic mental health crisis. Witnessing the lack of understanding and support available was a profound shock. This event, which occurred as far back as 1997, ignited Ms. Folorunso’s determination to specialize in mental health and become a voice for the voiceless.

Her passion led her to Leicester, where she deepened her expertise, focusing on critical areas like men’s mental health and the challenges faced by healthcare providers. Today, that same passion fuels the Foundation’s work to ensure no one in Nigeria has to face mental health challenges alone.

Folorunso

Our Vision

Building a mentally healthy world free from suffering caused by mental illness.

Our Mission

To inform, advocate, and enable access to treatment, support, and research.

The Challenge

We Address in Nigeria!

In Nigeria, mental health is often shrouded in stigma, cultural misconceptions, and spiritual misinterpretations. This prevents millions from seeking the help they need. The need is particularly urgent in urban centers like Lagos, where rising substance abuse among youth and the stressors of modern life are creating a silent epidemic.

We believe, as the World Health Organization does, that there is no health without mental health. Crises like conflicts, displacement, and public health emergencies only heighten this need, making community support systems more critical than ever.

Our Approach & Key Initiatives

We take a multi-faceted approach to create lasting change:

  1. Community Awareness & Sensitization: We run outreach programs in underserved communities, like Mushin, to demystify mental illness, separate fact from cultural fiction, and encourage people to seek help without shame.

  2. Accessible Treatment Services: We are working to bridge the treatment gap. Our flagship initiative is the planned establishment of a new treatment and support centre in the Ikeja area, which will provide affordable counseling and mental health services to residents on the Lagos mainland.

  3. Targeted Advocacy: We continuously engage the public and policymakers through events and campaigns, reinforcing the message that “mental health is real” and that early intervention saves lives.

  4. Complementing Government Efforts: We work hand-in-hand with existing government initiatives, acting as a force multiplier to extend the reach of mental health care and advocacy across Lagos and beyond.

Our Commitment

We cannot relent until sanity and well-being are restored among our youths and all Nigerians battling mental health challenges. We are here to create a space for healing, to give people the strength to cope, and to help communities recover and rebuild.

“We must allow people to be themselves, accept that mental illness exists, and seek help early.”
— Ms. Folorunso Olubukola, Founder

Join the Movement

Join us in creating a future where mental well-being is a priority for all.

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