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Businessman, philanthropist, and two-time Rivers State gubernatorial candidate, Tonye Patrick Cole, is preparing to face one of the most formidable physical challenges of his life: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. This monumental journey isn’t just a personal quest; it’s part of Tonye’s mission to raise awareness and funds for Nigeria’s growing mental health crisis.
Through his ascent, set to begin this weekend,Tonye aims to bring attention to the silent struggles of countless young Nigerians facing mental health challenges, often compounded by societal stigma and lack of resources. His goal is to raise ₦500 million by the end of the year to support the Behavioural Health Institute (BHI), an organisation co-founded by him in 2019 to expand access to mental health care in Nigeria.
The funds from this initiative will be used to provide free therapy and coaching to 1,000 Nigerian youth while supporting the training of mental health professionals and integrating innovative technology solutions to extend the reach of care across the country.
“This climb isn’t just aboutjust a personal goal, it’s a mission to create real change for thousands of Nigerian youths struggling with mental health,” Tonye said. “It’s about shining a light on this underserved illness, together we can break the stigma attached to seeking help and move mountains for our youth.”
Nigeria faces a severe shortage of mental health professionals, with only one psychiatrist per million people. This critical gap leaves millions of young Nigerians without access to the support they desperately need. Through BHI, Tonye is working to address this issue by leveraging technology, offering capacity-building programmes, and increasing the availability of mental health services nationwide.
Tonye’s Kilimanjaro expedition is sponsored by Leatherback, a global financial technology provider, and serves as a rallying call for businesses, individuals, and communities to contribute to transforming mental health care in Nigeria.
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