FAQS & About MANI’s Services
About MANI
Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) is West Africa’s biggest youth-run, non-profit, non-governmental organization, focused on mental health promotion and prevention, democratizing access to mental health professionals as well as demanding and advocating for better policies for mental health across Africa.
We are a community of young people we are motivated to fight stigma and create an environment that makes it possible for people to seek care for their mental health without fear of discrimination.
MANI was founded and registered in Nigeria in December 2015 with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC/IT NO 83725), but was officially launched on the 11th of June 2016.
No, MANI is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation.
MANI is a non-governmental organisation.
No. MANI was largely self-funded in the first few years of operation. At the moment, our core setup and some of our projects are funded with support from grants as well as funding gotten from services offered to corporates (as in training support to staff, etc).
Our internal policies and processes don’t allow for our activities or projects to be funded by the government.
We’re privately funded. This means we receive funding from foundations, individuals, and corporations.
- Using our service: please talk about the positive impact our services have had
- Donations: Donate to us via the following channels-
- You can donate online via our secured donation page- MANIsupport
- Via Bank Transfers to:
- Zenith Bank Plc- 1017359554
- Access (Diamond) Bank Plc- 0087235642
- Corporate support: connect us to your companies and workplaces to support our work and capacity
- Get involved: with our programs and campaigns by sharing our toolkits or reposting whenever our posts cross your page.
We want to end suffering in silence. And, we can’t do it alone. It takes teamwork. We partner with not-for-profits, high schools and universities, and corporations to help people in need of mental health support.
Want to partner? Send an email to [email protected].
We work with companies like Facebook and Twitter to seamlessly connect their users who are in crisis to our trained volunteer Counsellors. We also do cause marketing campaigns with brands who want to raise money and/or awareness for our Crisis Support Centre.
Absolutely. As long as we have developed such materials, we will be happy to share. Some of them may come at a cost however, please fill out this form to express your interest in using some of our existing marketing materials or request for us to create new ones for your community and we will get back to you. You may also access free shareable materials from our social media pages and our website here.
Email: [email protected]
No, we don’t. However, we make recommendations for private services.
Crisis Support Centre
No, MANI does not offer therapy sessions. Rather, we offer free mental health counselling sessions run by trained volunteer counsellors. However, if you need therapy sessions, we make recommendations for private sessions.
Some of our volunteer counsellors are therapists and other mental health professionals who are volunteering their time to provide mental health support, but not all our counsellors are therapists. They, however, must be in the health profession.
A therapist is someone who is trained to focus on recurrent problems by using talk therapy and therapeutic strategies for a long term solution.
A counsellor is someone who is trained to focus on present issues for a short term duration by providing support and guidance.
At MANI, our counsellors are volunteers who are in the health space, including clinical psychologists, however, not all our counsellors are psychologists.
Once the intake form is filled, a service user is assigned a counsellor who then reaches out via WhatsApp. At the end of the second and final meeting, a feedback form is given to the service user. The Counselor also fills a feedback form where updates are given on how the meeting went.
Yes. Our Counsellors only know what you share with them, and that information stays between you, unless sharing it with emergency services or a designated supervisor is absolutely necessary for your safety. We take your confidentiality seriously. Check out our Terms of Service here.
Our services in the crisis support centre are mental health counselling sessions delivered over WhatsApp texts by volunteer counsellors.
MANI’s counsellors do not offer to or assess your mental health for a diagnosis. We also do not offer any physical sessions as all our mental health counselling sessions are offered virtually.
In case of an emergency, kindly contact any of our emergency lines- 08091116264, 09060097915, 08111680686
No. MANI doesn’t offer financial support as our scope of service does not cover that aspect
Our service in the crisis support center is free of charge.
Our goal is to connect you to a counsellor as soon as we possibly can, but how quickly you are connected to one is dependent on the caseload we are dealing with at the time.
Typical wait time is around 4 days, but during high volume times, like at night or when we “go viral” on social media, or when there’s a publicised traumatic incident like a suicide, wait times may be longer.
We encourage persons using our services to give us feedback via our Client Feedback Form. Our internal quality control officers go through each filled entry. If there is a reported issue or poor rating, initial efforts are made to get in touch with the service user to learn more, placate and refer them to another counsellor if they want to continue with the service. Concurrently, the implicated counsellor is contacted and an investigation is carried out by way of reviewing the conversation between the service user and the counsellor.
If the counsellor is seen to break our code of conduct, we do as much as we can to make it up to the service user and prevent the counsellor from continuing to work with us in that capacity.
Yes. As many times as needed. However, you should not feel dependent on us. Our services are not a replacement for long-term talk therapy (in-person or virtual), or specialist psychiatric support.
If you sign up for our crisis support, you will be contacted by one of our trained in-house volunteer counsellors.
Our referral network consists of private practitioners and government health institutions such as Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospitals, Federal Medical Centers and established private hospitals/mental health facilities.
Using these external services will come at a fee to you. MANI has no control over how the services of these practitioners or facilities are priced and receive no commission on your payment to them.
Kindly note that MANI holds no responsibility as regards your use of any service within the referral network.
If you have any complaints about our services or your interaction with our counsellor(s), kindly send an email to [email protected] or send us a direct message using any of our social media pages @MentallyAwareNG. We will address them and take the right steps to ensure you get the necessary support and response.
We have a rigorous multi-stage recruitment process for taking in volunteer counsellors:
- Interested individuals fill our intake form online.
- Applications are screened based on our requirements (eg, must be a health professional).
- Prospective candidates who meet the criteria are shortlisted for an interview.
- Candidates who pass the interview process are taken through a training process and assessed before they are inducted into the counselling team.
- The entire process lasts 3 weeks.
Crisis Counsellors complete a virtual rigorous 3 weeks training program that includes: Basics of mental health, Principles and methods of counselling, Problem Solving + Behavioral activation, Psycho-education (Mood Disorders, Psychotic disorders, etc), Suicide emergency response, Grief counselling, Motivational interviewing and Psychological First Aid. Applicants should evaluate their time commitments and needs before applying.
Yes. There is a Team lead (a clinical psychologist) who works with other executives.
We are always accepting applications! Apply here.
- Someone with some knowledge of mental health
- Educational background in mental health or related health programs
- Available for at least 4 hours per week
Not at the moment. All of the services provided via our crisis support centre is done free of charge, and everything from the administration, to the counselling to quality control and supervision, is provided by volunteers.
- Donations using the provided links and account numbers above
- Volunteer to join as a counsellor
Our support group launches soon. Follow us on social media so you don’t miss the launch.
You can reach us through any of the following means :
Email: [email protected]
DM us on Social Media(Twitter and IG) : @Mentallyawareng
Call Us In Case of an emergency: 08091116264, 09060097915, 08111680686
Conversation Cafe
There are conversations that aren’t held normally by people. A lot of non-clinical conversations around mental health such as relationship and mental health, finance and mental health, disability and mental health etc are not regularly discussed from time to time.
At Conversation Cafe, we want to explore non-clinical conversations that people don’t usually have in relation to mental health (relationship, finance, sex etc). We hope that people become more open to having such conversations in a relaxed environment free from guilt and judgement.
It is held across cities in Nigeria every last Saturday of the month. It is held in open spaces such as parks and gardens.
Young people between 18-35 (Direct) – Students, Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Business People, Young Parents etc
- Be open to participate in the activities of the day.
- Be ready to bond and meet other young people who are passionate about mental health in the same cities
- Be open to learning new things
Very informal. The event is usually anchored by a trainer/moderator (usually an individual in a medical profession who has been trained for the event) and is made up of different sessions. Sessions such as Games and Icebreakers that are targeted at encouraging participants who may be hesitant in discussions to feel relaxed and share their thoughts and experiences. Other aspects of the event like the Q and A, Feedback and Storytelling are more directed at promoting mental health awareness and knowledge. The Social Media Storm and Invitation to Join Campaigns are linked to recruiting mental health enthusiasts to become advocates
Very informal. The event is usually anchored by a trainer/moderator (usually an individual in a medical profession who has been trained for the event) and is made up of different sessions. Sessions such as Games and Icebreakers that are targeted at encouraging participants who may be hesitant in discussions to feel relaxed and share their thoughts and experiences. Other aspects of the event like the Q and A, Feedback and Storytelling are more directed at promoting mental health awareness and knowledge. The Social Media Storm and Invitation to Join Campaigns are linked to recruiting mental health enthusiasts to become advocates
At Conversation Cafe, we want to explore non-clinical conversations that people don’t usually have in relation to mental health (relationship, finance, sex etc). We hope that people become more open to having such conversations in a relaxed environment free from guilt and judgement.
We will follow the guidelines setup by the NCDC/various states.
- Increase in mental health literacy
- Increase in individuals accessing right channels of mental health support
- How to take care of themselves
The Community - MANI Community Advocacy Network (MANI CAN)
MANI CAN means Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative Community Advocacy Network .
We wanted to give mental health enthusiasts who don’t really want to or have the time to volunteer yet want to learn about mental health. Hence, it is a community where anyone (provided you meet the terms and conditions) who has interest in mental health gets to be a part of us.
Please see the Terms of Reference/Guide
There are no durations. You can be there as long as you want to be and as long as you abide by the rules guiding the community
MANI CAN typically serves the youth/adult community. As stipulated in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, an adult is considered anyone from age of 18.
You will have access to tools and resources, trainings, sharing news and info about mental health in Nigeria and the organisation’s physical and online activities, opportunity to join campaigns
A member of MANI CAN determines the number of hours they put into participating in the community.
No. The only common trait in the members of MANI CAN is their interest in Mental health.
No there are no certificates or awards issued to members of this community since there are no obligations for them to render services. However, Members of MANI CAN can decide to become Volunteers with MANI by going through the recruitment process when it opens.
We are hoping to create a safe environment where people can express themselves without judgement. However, MANI CAN is more than just sharing feelings. It’s a place where we can learn, unlearn and adopt good mental health habits.
MANI CAN and our counseling service are two different services hence just as any non-member, you are free to use the counseling service by filling the counselling form.
You CANNOT put your MANI CAN membership on your CV or status or any social media profile.
No. This is absolutely at no charge to you
Not at all. Just enjoy all that comes to you within the group
The group has a body of Administrative Officers led by the HR Officer who will manage disputes. You will know them when you get in. Should you be dissatisfied with the outcome, you can send a mail to [email protected]
You get access to materials and resources. We are building a network and community of advocates of mental health.
At the moment, No. Everyone is on the same level
No it doesn’t. You have to apply differently to be a volunteer.
Yes, you can, although each has different processes but if you follow through, then the sky is your starting point
No, MANI CAN is a community of mental health enthusiasts, a MANI volunteer has a stipulated number of hours for volunteering in MANI. There are assigned duties and roles for volunteers.
Yes, the group is Virtual, However, MANI hosts events from time to time and all these information will be shared on the MANI CAN Platform. Members are encouraged to attend these events if it’s in their region.
You can reach us through any of the following means :
DM us on Social Media(Twitter and IG) : @Mentallyawareng
Email: [email protected]
MANI UCAN
MANI UCAN means Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative Users and Caregivers Advocacy Network .
We wanted to give mental health service users a community. Hence, it is a community where anyone (provided you meet the terms and conditions) who is currently using any mental health service can belong.
Please see the Terms of Reference/Guide
There are no durations. You can be there as long as you want to be and as long as you abide by the rules guiding the community
MANI UCAN typically serves the youth/adult community. As stipulated in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, an adult is considered anyone from age of 18.
You will have access to tools and resources, trainings, sharing news and info about mental health in Nigeria and the organisation’s physical and online activities, opportunity to join campaigns
Yes. You have to show proof that you are currently using mental health service somewhere..
We are hoping to create a safe environment where people can express themselves without judgement. However, MANI UCAN is more than just sharing feelings. It’s a place where we can learn, unlearn and adopt good mental health habits.
Considering the fact that you are already seeing a professional, we discourage signing up for counseling sessions with MANI.
You CANNOT put your MANI UCAN membership on your CV or status or any social media profile.
No. This is absolutely at no charge to you
Not at all. Just enjoy all that comes to you within the group
You get access to materials and resources. We are building a network and community of service users or people with lived experience.
No. Everyone is on the same level
No it doesn’t. You have to apply differently to be a volunteer.
Yes, you can, although each has different processes but if you follow through, then the sky is your starting point
No,This is a community for people with psycho-social disabilities and want a safe space where they can be expressive.
Yes, the group is Virtual, However, MANI hosts events from time to time and all these information will be shared on the MANI UCAN Platform. Members are encouraged to attend these events if it’s in their region.
You can reach us through any of the following means :
DM us on Social Media(Twitter and IG) : @Mentallyawareng
Email: [email protected]
The Streets
No. You are free to join as long as you have been trained by us.
- Be willing to hold mental health conversations with people in your community
- Be willing to advocate mental health within your community
- Allocate some hours a week to reach out to people within your locality and engage them in conversation.
Not necessarily as it is open to anyone from the age of 18.
MANI will give you materials to aid your conversation with people within your community
MANI will train you before you embark on this outreach
MANI will pair you in 2s or 3s as you are not expected to go alone.
You are not expected to go farther than your comfort limit. It is expected that you only walk within your immediate community.
You will be joining a vibrant community active advocates
We are very much aware of the current security situation. We will rely on intelligence reports from you before proceeding. We do not expect you to go out when unsafe
Although we hope to reach 10,000 communities by 2025, we do not intend to burden you with numbers to be reached per time.
The Volunteer Structure
You will have to fill a form by selecting a skill area you would like to volunteer. You will answer some questions assigned to the role you have selected, upload your CV and wait to hear from us.If you are successful, you will be contacted for an interview.
MANI is Nigeria’s foremost youth-led mental health organisation. You will be joining thousands of other young people across the country to advocate and also participate in conversations about mental health
MANI offers you a platform to use your skill towards the expansion of the mental health conversation in Nigeria. You also will be meeting several people with similar passion and skill that will improve your network.
You can volunteer for as long as you wish to volunteer. Although, there will be room for recommitment every half year just to check if you still feel good to remain with us(though we won’t want to lose you).
All you need is your time, passion for mental health and desire to make a change. Kindly read the job description to know what is required of you.
Each volunteer group has specific requirements in terms of number of hours required. Please read the job description before filling the form
Definitely. You are not bound by time hence you can leave when you feel like
Not exactly. Your skills will speak for themselves. You know what you are capable of.
There are requirements to be met before you can be issued a certificate. This should be discussed with the HR personnel at the right time.
You will be trained in some form but this doesn’t in anyway serve as a certification
The mode of volunteering differs depending on the role. Please read the role description.
You must be at least 18 years old before you can volunteer with us
The skill you possess will determine where you can volunteer. Kindly go through the role description to learn more.
Not necessarily. As long as you have access to the internet and a mobile. However, Nigerian labour laws apply.
You can add it to your CV stating what volunteer roles you have undertaken. You may not add it to your social media bio because we don’t want to put any pressure that curtails your freedom of expression.
There is a recruitment process. We will reach out to you accordingly once you fill the appropriate forms and go through the required process.
No. For the sake of productivity and efficiency, kindly volunteer in the skill area you are most proficient at.
The Human Resource/Volunteer Engagement team handles all conflicts. If unable to resolve, it is reported to MANI management team headed by the COO.
MANI practices equal employment opportunity. Your skill and experience will speak for you at the interview as everyone goes through the interview process. Naturally, your involvement with MANI gives you an advantage of knowing the organization already.