WECARE: MENTAL HEALTH CARE WITHOUT THE STIGMA

Background Information

Introduction:

After three weeks of intensive training on design thinking with Innovate for Africa, I am excited to share our solution culminating in a hackathon project!

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Problem:

One in 4 Nigerians suffer from some sort of mental illness. More than half of all mental illnesses remain untreated leading to worsening mental conditions, chronic physical health problems, job stability issues, relationship challenges, trauma, and suicide.

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The Process:

Throughout the hackathon, we applied Design thinking to design our product. Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. Involving five phases—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.

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Results:

A mobile app that provides:

• Easy and convenient access to professional therapists at the click of a button.

  
  

• Easy access to a safe space and support group at the comfort of your home while maintaining user anonymity.

  
  

• Access to educative content on handling various mental health concerns

  
  

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Reflection:

For me, the ability to develop an idea into a high-fidelity mockup prototype in just three weeks is simply remarkable. Throughout the hackathon processes, I learned how to approach innovation in a structured way using the design thinking methodology. I conducted market research to empathize with my customers, defined my problem, and brainstormed on ideas. After which, I brought it to life through prototyping and tested it for customer satisfaction. Design thinking is a tested and repeatable approach to innovating in any given situation or challenge. Most importantly, the Hackathon has given me greater confidence to pursue innovation and ownership. Key drivers for a successful entrepreneurial career.