Enhancing mental health resilience among youth and at-risk communities in Kenya.

Low literacy, stigma, and limited access to mental health resources have resulted in poor mental health outcomes in 80% of Kenyan society. Youth are the most at risk.

Youth in Kenya face the highest Mental health risks, here is why:

Our Solutions

Increasing access to quality Mental Health Support by leveraging peer-based approaches and technology for the youth.

Psychosocial Support Helpline

Our national helpline service is available for individuals in distress, in emergencies, and in need of mental Health Support.

School Wellness Clubs

We have established student-led school wellness programs tailored to student's needs with the aim of strengthening awareness and Mental Health support systems in schools.

Community Wellness Centre

Our Community-led wellness centers provide access to Mental Health Support, psychoeducation, referral, and Mental Health support groups.

Cradle Arts Festival

Organized annually in collaboration with various artists, the event and program celebrates art and creativity in our community using art as a tool for advocacy, to increase awareness about Mental Health & Wellness and to celebrate Mental Health survivors.

Our Impact

Low literacy, stigma, and limited access to mental health resources have resulted in poor mental health outcomes among 80% of Kenyan society and the youth are the most at risk. We focus on peer models and technology to address this problem.

Journey With an Impact

Mental 360 was born out of Bright Shitemi’s mental health experience in 2016. His vision was to raise awareness, create safe spaces, and offer holistic support to underserved communities facing mental health challenges.

Bright gets the idea to start Mental 360 after a brush with depression. He forms a community of youth with lived experience and starts using their stories to raise mental health awareness.

Bright gets the idea to start Mental 360 after a brush with depression. He forms a community of youth with lived experience and starts using their stories to raise mental health awareness.

2016

Mental 360 gets registered, begins offering therapy services and sets up a national mental health helpline service.

Mental 360 gets registered, begins offering therapy services and sets up a national mental health helpline service.

2018

Mental 360’s proven community mental health model receives international recognition from Africa Yes and Meta (Facebook Accelarator), and wins awards for Best Social Impact Organization and Best Growth Plan Idea (Boma Wellness App) respectively.

Mental 360’s proven community mental health model receives international recognition from Africa Yes and Meta (Facebook Accelarator), and wins awards for Best Social Impact Organization and Best Growth Plan Idea (Boma Wellness App) respectively.

2020

Having refined her model, Mental 360 enters its growth phase having served 300,000 people. She aims to reach 10 million plus people in the next decade.

Having refined her model, Mental 360 enters its growth phase having served 300,000 people. She aims to reach 10 million plus people in the next decade.

2024

Bright gets the idea to start Mental 360 after a brush with depression. He forms a community of youth with lived experience and starts using their stories to raise mental health awareness.

2016

Mental 360 gets registered, begins offering therapy services and sets up a national mental health helpline service.

2018

Mental 360’s proven community mental health model receives international recognition from Africa Yes and Meta (Facebook Accelarator), and wins awards for Best Social Impact Organization and Best Growth Plan Idea (Boma Wellness App) respectively.

2020

Having refined her model, Mental 360 enters its growth phase having served 300,000 people. She aims to reach 10 million plus people in the next decade.

2024

Growth Plan - To Serve 10 Million Plus Youth By 2034

Mental 360 has prioritized strengthening and building new collaborations with key stakeholders. Our commitment to expanding impact and leveraging technology aims to reach more youth and communities with essential mental health support services and resources.

Our strategic priorities include:-

We are enhancing program scalability and sustainability

We are deepening community engagement, and advocating for systemic changes to improve mental health services and access. We have carried out proof of concept work in our School wellness and Community wellness centre programs that are ready to scale. We have engaged the Government through the Ministries of Education, Interior Security, and The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development for accreditation and partnership to scale.

We are deepening community engagement, and advocating for systemic changes to improve mental health services and access.

We are engaging key stakeholders to ensure community buy-in as we psycho-educate, empower, and capacity-built youth with lived experiences. Through this engagement, we are establishing partnerships and supporting the creation of access channels for these stakeholders for the youth. With this approach, we expect systems change that is adaptive and holistic and a gradual but drastic reduction in stigma at the community level.

We are leveraging technology to build digital wellness communities at scale.

We aim to ensure access to mental health support at the touch of a button. Through our Facebook Accelerator social innovation award-winning growth plan product Boma, we are leveraging the 80% internet and smartphone penetration among youth in Kenya to improve access to mental health care. Boma will also be an enterprise vehicle to help us reduce donor reliance by 70% over the next decade.

Testimonials

Donor Partners

Community Partners

Our Wins

Africa Visionary Fellowship

Our Founder Bright Shitemi was selected to join the African Visionary Fellowship by the Segal Family Foundation an exclusive two-year fellowship that offers capacity, community, and connection.

Dovetail Accelerator

Mental 360 participated in the Dovetail Accelerator 2023-24 a program for high potential impact actors in Africa

Policy Advocacy-Mental Health Amendment Bill 2018

Mental 360 played a crucial role in advocating for the Mental Health Amendment Bill 2018 which was signed into law in 2022. This legislative success marked a significant step forward in the fight for better mental health care in Kenya.

Best Growth Plan Idea: Facebook Accelerator

In 2020, Mental 360's BOMA wellness App was recognized as one of the top three growth plan ideas in Africa by the Facebook Accelerator Program. This accolade underscored the organization's innovative approach to expanding mental health support through digital platforms.

Africa Yes Program Social Impact Winner

At Africa Yes 2019, Mental 360 was celebrated for its contributions to mental health advocacy and support, underscoring its leadership and impact in the mental health sector.