Asido Foundation Wins  Global Award for Mental Health Advocacy

Nigerian mental health organisation, Asido Foundation, has been recognised with the Innovative Research, Training, or Practice in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) Award at the 6th Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH) Awards in the United Kingdom, recently.

The awards hosted by the UK-based global mental health charity and professional body, celebrate exceptional contributions to child and adolescent mental health worldwide. In this year’s Innovative Research, Training, or Practice in LMICs Award category, Asido Foundation and the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India, emerged as joint winners.

The foundation was recognised for its groundbreaking, multi-layered approach to mental health education and service delivery, which has made a significant difference across Nigerian communities.

Speaking, International Officer at ACAMH, Dr. Soumitra Datta lauded the foundation for its innovative and impactful strategies.

He said, “Asido Foundation has taken on the immense challenge of addressing stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health through advocacy and direct intervention.”

Over the past five years, the foundation has implemented various initiatives to address the mental health needs of Nigerians. Its milestones include successful advocacy for the Mental Health Bill passed into law in 2023, training over 600 individuals in Psychological First Aid (PFA), and over 200 community engagements, reaching more than 300,000 people.

Its multi-layered approach includes initiatives like the student-led Asido Campus Network, the annual Adolescent Bootcamp for Mental Health, and the Asido Kids Challenge, all of which target different age groups and needs across the youth demographic.

Receiving the award, CEO and Founder of the foundation, Dr. Jibril Abdumalik said, ” This is a truly special honour and privilege. Our mission is to break down barriers and empower young people to seek help without shame or stigma.”

Also commenting, Chairman of Asido Foundation, Mr. Meka Niyi Olowola said, “Being recognised by ACAMH, a globally respected organisation, is a tremendous honour and a testament to our dedication to mental health advocacy in Nigeria. This award reinforces our vision to dismantle stigma, empower communities, and expand access to mental health resources for children and adolescents. It represents a crucial milestone in our journey toward a mentally resilient society.”