Foundation wins ACAMH award

Asido Foundation has bagged the ‘Innovative Research, Training or Practice in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)’ at the sixth Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH) Awards 2024, held in the United Kingdom.
 
Asido Foundation is a mental health advocacy organisation committed to fostering mental well-being in Nigeria.
 
The ACAMH 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, the Asido Foundation and the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India, emerged as joint winners.
 
Asido 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.
 
According to Dr Soumitra Datta, International Officer at ACAMH, “Asido Foundation has achieved remarkable success in promoting mental health literacy and well-being, particularly among children and adolescents in Nigeria. Asido Foundation has taken on the immense challenge of addressing stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health through advocacy and direct intervention. The innovative and impactful strategies implemented by the Asido Foundation offer a replicable model with demonstrated impact, setting a new benchmark in youth mental health advocacy.”
 
Accepting the award, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Asido Foundation, Dr Jibril Abdumalik, said: “This is a truly special honour and privilege. We recognise that our greatest challenges are ignorance, shame, and stigma which stand as barriers that prevent people from seeking help.”

Many young people suffer in silence, hidden away due to these misconceptions. Our mission is to break down these barriers so children and adolescents can access the care they need without shame or stigma. We view this recognition as a call to action, and we are deeply committed to doing even more in the future to support mental health in our communities.”
 
Chairman of Asido Foundation, Meka Olowola, while speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees, expressed his delight at the global recognition of Asido Foundation’s work, “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.”