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.
Our national helpline service is available for individuals in distress, in emergencies, and in need of mental Health Support.
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.
Our Community-led wellness centers provide access to Mental Health Support, psychoeducation, referral, and Mental Health support groups.
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.
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.
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.
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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 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 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 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.
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.
Mental 360 participated in the Dovetail Accelerator 2023-24 a program for high potential impact actors in Africa
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.
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.
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.
