Meet Hauwa Ojeifo: An Inspirational Young Leader at the Forefront of Nigeria’s Mental Health Movement

By Courtney Sunna, Co-Founder of the AstraZeneca Young Health Programme Alumni Group, YHP Scholar, and One Young World Ambassador

This is part of a series of LinkedIn Articles published under the same title which feature some of the profiles and initiatives of the outstanding young leaders working towards better health. For more information about the relationship between AstraZeneca, One Young World, and the young leaders featured in these articles, please visit the first published articles in the series.

Voices of Changemakers

I met Hauwa Ojeifo back in 2018 at the One Young World Summit. We were roommates, two young Delegates randomly placed into a shared hotel room in The Hague, Netherlands - Hauwa representing her country, Nigeria, while I was from the United States. Worlds apart, yet by the first day of the Summit, I felt drawn to her. We spoke for hours late into the evening after a long day of conferences, sharing experiences about the power of a positive mindset and the importance of having a strong support system.

There was something about Hauwa I was drawn to. Her openness was a rarity and she spoke with a calmness that made me feel comfortable almost immediately. But it was more than that: she knew exactly who she was, what mattered to her, and what her mission was. She is a driven and a clear leader, someone I knew was capable of change. 

That was before I knew her story, and my admiration of Hauwa only grew.

The following day, in the One Young World lecture hall a panel started on the topic of Young Leaders Against Sexual Violence. Hauwa appeared, and shared her personal story with over 2,000 people on her horrifying experience with sexual violence and subsequently, her journey into becoming an advocate for mental health in Nigeria and starting ‘She Writes Woman’, a mental health initiative. I was floored. We stood up and gave her a standing ovation.

Since the Summit, Hauwa became the first person to testify before the Nigerian parliament on the rights of people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities in the country’s bid to pass its first mental health law. Last month, she won the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Gates Goalkeepers award as a 2020 global changemaker.

When I think of Hauwa, I think of courage. She is a shining example of someone who has turned a negative experience into a positive force for meaningful change in the lives of others. She is proof that even survivours of the most traumatic experiences are not shaped by their past and should have the ability to seek and obtain support when needed.

This is her story. I hope she inspires you in the same way I was.

What are you passionate about and why?

I'm passionate about improving mental health and preventing sexual violence. More importantly, I’m passionate about those two in relation to human rights and gender equality respectively and here’s why. Following my double diagnosis of bipolar and posttraumatic stress disorder, I saw first-hand the peculiarities of being a woman coping with the trauma of sexual violence, while living with a mental health condition, in a place where it is common to shame and oppress people like me. It is the combination of all of these things that gives me perspective and drives me to speak my truth. In the face of overwhelming stigma, I advocate for inclusion and human rights-respecting mental health solutions and policies in Nigeria.

What partnerships have you made that have been especially beneficial?

Airtel Nigeria, between 2018 and 2020, has been a catalyst in helping my organisation, She Writes Woman, create a youth-based community mental health centre called Safe Place. During this period, we have directly supported over 500 beneficiaries and logged over 30,000 hours in providing mental health support. One Young World has been a very beneficial relationship in supporting us to respond more quickly to rising gender-based violence incidents in Nigeria. We have also partnered with RISE - a civil rights movement founded by Nobel Prize Nominee Amanda Nguyen - in pushing for a United Nations sexual violence resolution. I have to say that our partnership with Human Rights Watch has been incredibly strategic, timely and impactful. Together, we are pushing for the inclusion of people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities, as well as human-rights respecting mental health legislation and practices in Nigeria.

How does your organisation address this?

We are empowering people with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities to tell their own stories, co-create their own solutions and advocate for their own rights. We host Safe Place, a monthly women-only support group where we have non-judgemental and stigma-free conversations on topics including mental health and sexual violence.

We also run a 24/7 helpline which provides mental health first response, tele-counselling and signposting. We also carry out policy advocacy in ensuring that the voices of our communities are adequately represented in advocating for human rights-respecting mental health legislation in Nigeria.

What do you like to do for fun?

I like sleeping. A lot of what I consider fun is really about resting and refreshing. I listen to audiobooks, watch TV shows, and spend time with loved ones. You will find me watching neuroscientific documentaries in my spare time. I have to say, I also love travelling; deep inside, I really believe I’m a bird.

What's your favourite country that you've travelled to?

The favourite country that I have travelled to is the Netherlands. I particularly loved The Hague. I’m looking forward to visiting France, Singapore and Tanzania (Zanzibar).

How is your organisation adapting to working during COVID-19?

Since COVID-19, we at She Writes Woman have witnessed increased incidents of gender based violence and an uptick in anxiety and stress, which can be even more problematic in an environment with limited or no access to mental health care for people with pre-existing mental health conditions.

Bearing in mind the restrictions to movement and physical spaces, we adapted our mental health support services online and via telephone. We took Safe Place, our monthly support groups, online through video conferencing, and partnered to provide free counselling services for individuals who are feeling the effects of Covid19 on their mental health.

We’re ensuring that access is not predetermined by socio-economic class, so with the support of One Young World, we are providing call credit and internet allowances to the most vulnerable within our community to ensure ease of access to virtual mental health support.

Where should people look if they are seeking guidance on mental health?

In a working healthcare system, seeing your General Practitioner (GP) in the hospital or primary healthcare centre would likely be the first point of contact. Ideally, it is from this point that you are referred to a mental health professional. In some other parts of the world like Nigeria, help and guidance aren’t readily available and as close to home as possible as it should be for the majority of Nigerians. Psychosocial support is not present in primary healthcare centres, so nonprofit organisations like She Writes Woman fill in the systemic gaps. We raise awareness, signpost people to government-owned teaching hospitals, military hospitals, general hospitals and federal medical centres. We also offer first response through helplines and counselling via telephones.

What advice do you have for those looking to build their brand and gain international recognition for their work?

I find that your ability to gain international recognition for your work is largely dependent on how well you’re doing your work in your community. I advise people to focus on identifying social issues and creating sustainable intersectional solutions. Be passionate but also be strategic. If you’re running an organisation, put systems and structures in place, track impact and keep records. Co-create solutions with your beneficiaries and use powerful storytelling to make your work visible offline and online. By merely doing right by your constituents and doing the best you can at every stage of your changemaking journey, you will attract recognition for your work.

What are you most excited about in the coming year, with regards to your work?

I am excited about Nigeria’s mental health legislation and our role in ensuring inclusion and upholding fundamental human rights in principle and practice. I am also excited about our Facebook-accelerated digital mental health community called Safe Place Nigeria which will democratise mental healthcare while creating exclusive resources, tools and content for the growing community of mental health-conscious Nigerians. Lastly, a number of intersectional mental health solutions are in the pipeline and I’m excited to see how they take off.

Thank you, Hauwa

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Further Reading

For more information on She Writes Woman, please visit linktr.ee/shewriteswoman

AstraZeneca Young Health Programme

One Young World

Related Content:

• Introductory article to the series: Meet the Inspirational Young Leaders Who Are Fuelling a Healthier Future
• Interview with Joseph Dusabe from Rwanda
• Interview with Vinicius Gaby from Brazil
• Interview with Laura-Maria Tiidla from Estonia
• Interview with James Chege from Kenya
• 2019 One Young World Impact Report
• Hauwa Ojeifo featured by Women Deliver
• Video: Hauwa Ojeifo wins Goalkeepers Global Award
• Contact She Writes Woman: linktr.ee/hauwaojeifo and linktr.ee/shewriteswoman

Source: Hauwa Ojeifo

Connect with her on Twitter: Hauwa Ojeifo and She Writes Woman

Contact person for this article: Courtney Sunna, courtney.sunna@gmail.com

Keywords: yhp, younghealthprogramme, astrazeneca, ncdprevention, youngleaders, futureleaders, nextgenerationleaders, impact, socialimpact, healthcare, diseaseprevention, innovation, social, healthcareleaders, oneyoungworld, oyw, mentalhealth, nigeria