Nigeria Programs
Through our Nigeria entity, Minematters Health and Wellness Foundation (MHAWF), CAC Reg. No. 8054234, we operate five active programs serving students and communities across Edo State, Nigeria.
SASA
SASA is Minematters Foundation’s school-based mental health awareness and substance abuse prevention program operating in Edo State secondary schools. Built in direct partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria, SASA equips students with knowledge, peer leadership skills, and community support systems that protect their mental health and future.
The program operates through a peer educator model, training students to lead conversations among their classmates and building a culture of awareness from the inside out.
5 active secondary schools in Edo State. 250 students engaged. 50 peer educators trained and active. Formal MOU signed with the NDLEA.
RISE ACADEMY
RISE Academy is Minematters Foundation’s direct tuition funding initiative, providing full university tuition support to academically deserving students in Nigeria who would otherwise be unable to access higher education.
RISE Academy covers full university tuition for selected students at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in Edo State. Recipients are selected based on academic merit, financial need, and demonstrated character and potential. We have also provided uniforms and books for primary school students in underserved communities across Edo State.
MINDFEST NIGERIA
MindFest Nigeria is Minematters Foundation’s annual flagship mental health awareness event, bringing together students, community leaders, mental health advocates, corporate partners, and university communities to break stigma, build awareness, and celebrate the courage it takes to talk about mental health.
MindFest 2025: April 5, 2025 at Festus Iyayi Hall, University of Benin. 652 registrations. 310 attendees. 8 partners including Nigerian Red Cross. NGN 1,580,000 raised. NGN 150,310 surplus generated.
Advocacy Challenge Winner received NGN 100,000 cash prize and a laptop. Runner-Up received NGN 50,000 cash prize and a laptop.
MindFest 2026 is targeted for May. As Minematters Foundation expands its US presence across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, bringing MindFest to American campuses and school communities is part of the vision. If you are a school, university, or organization interested in being part of the first MindFest USA, reach out through our contact page.
SCHOOL OUTREACH
Minematters Foundation’s School Outreach program brings mental health education, awareness resources, and direct community engagement to secondary schools across Edo State. Through targeted visits, workshops, and resource distribution, we extend our reach to schools beyond our dedicated SASA partner schools.
We deliver age-appropriate mental health awareness workshops, distribute educational resources directly to students and school libraries, engage teachers and counselors with tools to support students, and connect students and staff to mental health resources and referral pathways.
MFINCC
The Minematters Foundation Inc. Nigerian Collegiate Chapter is the student-led arm of Minematters Foundation operating on Nigerian university campuses. MFINCC members are peer educators, event organizers, advocates, and community builders who carry the foundation’s mission into every corner of campus life.
MFINCC chapters lead semester-long mental health awareness campaigns, coordinate MindFest Nigeria, support SASA clubs in secondary schools, and create peer support networks where students can talk openly about mental health without judgment.
MFINCC is the Nigerian counterpart of MFIUSCC, the Minematters Foundation Inc. United States Collegiate Chapter. Together these two chapters form a two-continent student network united by a shared mission. No student in Dallas or Benin City should feel alone in their struggle.