Boma Wellness App

The problem we are addressing can be simply described as a triple threat to Mental Health. First, over 25% of Kenyan youth aged 18-25 grapple with depression by the age of 24, marking a critical societal challenge that demands immediate attention (The Lancet, 2019). The roots of this issue lie in the intense pressures of academics, unemployment, poverty, and a high prevalence of adverse childhood experiences resulting in trauma. 

Secondly, the first threat is compounded by the lack of mental health care accessibility, with only 116 psychiatrists available for a population exceeding 50 million of which 50% of this population are youth. This psychiatrist to population ratio is 1800x lower than the WHO global requirement. (Marangu, 2021) Additionally, only 29 of  the 284 Level 4 Hospitals in Kenya provide Mental Health Services.

Thirdly, the stigma surrounding mental illness, which prevents health-seeking behavior and causes silent suffering. Tragically, this manifests as substance abuse or the over 500 youth suicides yearly (Muiruri, 2021) In the last decade, suicide rates in Kenya have risen by 58%. (Ngari, 2022) Limited awareness of mental health resources also hinders prevention and early intervention (Africa Mental Health Foundation, 2021).

Within the communities Mental 360 works in, the problem manifests in different ways:

- For Kiambu County, the problem presents as high rates of suicide and suicidal ideation. The highest in the country, with youth being the most affected.

- In Kibera, Kenya’s informal settlement where the majority of the population lives below the poverty line, it manifests as an inability to afford basic mental health care. 

- In corporate organizations, the problem manifests as high functioning depression and substance use as a coping mechanism.

In all the 3 Key areas, the problem presents as high stigma and low mental health awareness, which results in low help seeking behavior and therefore negative mental health outcomes. 

Our solution, Boma, is an anonymous and affordable digital Mental Health App, that serves as a digital extension of the Mental 360 peer-based method.  

Mental 360 uses a peer based model that has been proven to reduce stigma, improve mental awareness and have a similar impact as standard mental health care. The process begins by identifying at-risk youth in these 3 target communities and providing them with psychological support and counseling till they are resilient. Once resilient, we equip them with comprehensive skills through our Mental Health Peer Champion Certification training to become Peer Champions, dubbed Rafikis (swahili word for friend).  

These Rafikis return to their communities and begin social support groups known as Bomas (swahili word for community) with regular support from Mental 360 . The Rafikis facilitate these Bomas, creating a safe, judgment-free space for at-risk youth in their communities to get social support, explore their emotions, learn coping skills and grow in Mental Health awareness. 

To-date, the results from the Mental 360 method have been quite promising.  By the end of one Boma cycle, 75% of the youth that were initially at-risk become resilient. The newly resilient youth undergo training and certification to become Peer Mental Health Champions, Rafikis, allowing them to start Bomas within their communities. The remaining 25% who do not achieve resilience are referred to mental health professionals within the Mental 360 network for more specialized but affordable care.

To date, 1000+ Rafikis have been offered support, trained and certified to run Bomas. This has led to a reach of 15,000 at-risk youth  across the communities we work in.

BOMA App is designed to scale our social impact 1000 times by 2030 across Kenya and Africa. By leveraging on digital technology, Kenya’s renown as Africa’s silicon valley and the 70% mobile access among Kenyan youth, Boma builds our capacity for faster Rafiki support, training and certification, better wellbeing assessments and tracking, easier access to referral pool of Mental Health Professionals, a wider variety of Bomas and inclusion of educational mental health content. Most importantly, the app ensures anonymity, affordability, and convenience for all users. 

The app, currently in figma stage and will soon be available for download on Google Playstore. The current model is available for download too, for iteration purposes. Mental 360 is currently enrolling its existing clients and Rafikis to test the app for functionality. Once ready, we will engage rigorous marketing strategies within our client base and across Kenya, expanding its reach and impact of this innovative, peer-based model. 

Boma targets at-risk youth aged between 15 - 35 years and persons experiencing mental health challenges. 

We go by the following definitions:

• ‘At-risk youth’ as individuals who face elevated susceptibility to experiencing mental health challenges and adverse outcomes due to socioeconomic disadvantages, exposure to trauma, and limited access to mental health services and supportive resources. 

• ‘Youth with lived experience of mental health’ as individuals who have personally navigated mental health issues, providing them with unique insights, perspectives, and understanding of the challenges associated with mental health conditions. 

Boma also targets women and adolescent girls, key populations such as sexual and gender minorities, people living with disabilities, and individuals living in poverty who cannot afford standard mental health care. 

In Kenya, where half of the population, 25 million, are youth aged 15-35, data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics is just as grim. It indicates that youth grapple with societal pressures, including intense academic pressure, unemployment, and poverty, leaving them vulnerable to addiction, anxiety, and suicide ideation (KNBS Census, 2019).

Additionally, mental health outreaches and services in Kenya often overlook youth needs, and those that provide these services are usually too expensive for them. Mental Health clinics are also overburdened, with academic institutions that offer in-house counseling to students often having one counselor serving the whole institution. Psychoeducation is also lacking, leading to over 70% of those affected being unable to recognize symptoms of common mental disorders (Africa Mental Health Foundation, 2021). This causes an already struggling youth to resort to maladaptive coping mechanisms such as drug and alcohol use or, even worse, suicide. Notably, the suicide rate in Kenya has risen by 58%, with the majority of the victims being youth. (Ngari, 2022)

Boma uses a tiered support approach that is free to use. Users will be able to 

Luckily, telehealth solutions, of which BOMA is one, are increasingly being recognized for effectiveness in treating and managing health conditions including depression with an overall high patient satisfaction rating. ( Palmer et al, 2022) As a result, we believe that BOMA has the capacity to mitigate all these challenges, and bridge the mental health access disparities for Boma’s target population. 

Boma app also  leverages on the high mobile and internet penetration among the population to meet the aforementioned youth needs. This empowers Kenya’s digitally-native youth to own their mental health journeys while uplifting their wellbeing at scale. Boma intends to improve the wellbeing of 10 million at-risk youth in Kenya and Africa by 2030 through its anonymous, digital, free and convenient peer psychosocial support, and affordable counseling services. Our desire is a population with enhanced mental health awareness, help-seeking behavior, and decreased morbidity and mortality rates related to mental illness. 

As a youth-led organization, Mental 360 is deeply connected to the community we serve. Our Founder and Executive Director, Bright Shitemi, established Mental 360 based on his own experiences with depression and suicidal ideation while growing up in Kenya. Approximately 80% of our staff, including our founder and board members, have lived experiences with mental health challenges. This firsthand understanding informs our work and ensures that we curate programs that are for and by youth with lived experience . 

Our team composition reflects our proximity to the communities, with the entirety of our staff being youth. This demographic alignment allows us to better understand and address the unique needs of young people facing mental health challenges in Kenya. We leverage our personal experiences and insights to design and implement solutions that are meaningful and impactful for our target population.

In addition to our internal expertise, we also engage extensively with peer networks within the youth community. Over 100 trained peer champions, known as Rafikis (Swahili for friend), provide counseling and interventions informed by their own struggles with mental health disorders. These Rafikis have deep connections and networks with other youth, allowing us to reach and support a broader audience.

We prioritize accountability by soliciting regular, anonymous user feedback on and the helpfulness of support interventions. This data enables us to respond to the emerging needs of our beneficiaries and continuously improve our programs. Additionally, we have youth representation within advisory committees that evaluate programs and strategic direction, ensuring that the voices of our target population are heard and valued.

For the upcoming BOMA app, we are conducting extensive user experience testing with end-users to ensure accessibility and usability. This participatory approach to program development allows us to incorporate the input, ideas, and agendas of the communities we serve, ensuring that our solutions meet their needs effectively.

Boma was awarded the Best Growth Plan Idea at the Facebook Accelerator in 2020, where funding was secured to begin conceptualization. Since then, significant progress has been made, with the project now in its final stages of development. A Figma model has been created, and various aspects have been rigorously tested for functionality. Specifically, we have tested the gamified assessment tools and the Rafiki training and selection process.

Moreover, the UX/UI design has been completed, leaving only the final stage of streamlining processes. We anticipate completing this phase within the next 6 months. Following this, we plan to pilot the app among our community of youth and Rafiki, incorporating any necessary alterations based on user feedback, before officially launching it.

In terms of quantifiable impact, while we haven't yet launched the product, we have served our beneficiaries by involving them in the testing phases, ensuring that their needs and preferences are considered in the final product. We aim to continue this user-centric approach as we move towards the launch phase.

We are applying to Solve with the goal of not only gaining financial support to complete app development but also seeking assistance in overcoming various barriers to ensure the success and scalability of Boma. Our primary aim is to reach 10 million users by 2030, which requires significant market and technical support.

One of the main challenges we face is ensuring the smooth operation of Boma as it serves as a safe haven for youth in Kenya and eventually across Africa. Running an app that provides essential yet delicate services to a large user base poses inherent risks, and we need technical support to minimize potential glitches or issues that could arise.

Marketing across Africa presents another daunting task. While we plan to initially launch and gain traction in Kenya, expanding across the continent requires expertise in e-health marketing that maintains the essence of Boma while effectively reaching the target demographic. Partnering with organizations experienced in marketing within the healthcare sector will be invaluable in this endeavor.

Cultural considerations are also paramount to our success. While our team is currently based in Kenya, the app is tailored to the Kenyan youth culture. However, as we scale across Africa, it's essential to adapt the app to fit the diverse cultures and languages of different countries. This involves collaborating with cross-cultural teams and partnering with local mental health organizations to ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance. Additionally, recruiting and training Rafikis who understand the cultural nuances of each region will be crucial for effective support and engagement.

In summary, Solve can help us overcome financial, technical, marketing, and cultural barriers by connecting us with partners who can provide expertise and support in these areas. We are committed to ensuring the success and scalability of Boma as we work towards our goal of positively impacting the lives of millions of youth across Africa.

Existing mental health tech innovations in Kenya primarily focus on linking individuals to professional therapy services. However, BOMA offers a distinct and innovative solution to this problem. Our decade-long experience has shown us that individuals, especially youth, respond more positively to Mental Health support from peers with lived experience expertise. This insight is supported by research demonstrating that peer-based interventions not only improve mental health literacy (Conner, 2015) but also reduce stigma both internal and public (Sun, 2022) and have a greater impact compared to standard therapeutic care (Furh, 2014).

The BOMA app, our flagship innovation, revolutionizes mental health support by connecting young people to trained peer counselors, known as Rafikis (Swahili for friends), within a safe virtual environment. Unlike traditional mental health platforms, the BOMA app adopts a community-driven approach that places individuals with lived experience at the forefront of design and service provision. It integrates various components, including peer counseling, peer-led support groups (Bomas)

BOMA employs gamified wellness tracking tools to measure intervention impact, allowing users to assess their mental health state and track progression from at-risk to resilient. These tools, accessible on-demand and automatically suggested to users, utilize validated scales to measure mental health symptoms, well-being, and satisfaction with our services. Additionally, we conduct needs assessments and feedback surveys to understand evolving user preferences and needs.

A unique aspect of the BOMA app is its flexible support groups, tailored to specific mental health themes. Users can interact within various groups based on their evolving needs, providing tailored support for those facing multiple mental health challenges. These groups are created organically, addressing niche mental health and lifestyle needs among youth. They cover a wide range of topics, from general issues like depression to specific concerns such as gaming addiction and trichotillomania tendencies.

Additionally, BOMA app has a feature that is a curated media library of audio-visual mental health content and psychoeducational resources. This feature supports users who are creatives by allowing them to share their content on the virtual media library which serves as a platform for both entertainment and information-sharing. This provides them with an audience for their art and content allowing them to grow as creatives and learn from feedback thus fostering a sense of community and creativity.

Furthermore, BOMA also borrows from ongoing programs within Mental 360.Digital and visual art such as Mental Health Films featured in our Cradle Arts Festival, which utilizes art to destigmatize mental health issues are integrated into the Boma app. Users then have access to a diverse range of creative content that promotes mental wellness and provides an outlet for self-expression.

Our theory of change centers on empowering youth with lived experiences to lead scalable and sustainable interventions. Our interventions, including the Boma App, aim to break down stigma and promote peer support for preventive mental health. Our commitment is unwavering – creating a future where mental health is a universal right and no life is lost to suicide. Join us in reshaping narratives, fostering resilience, and building a community that champions Healthy Minds and Healthy Communities.

To achieve this, we will leverage technology through the Boma App to reach youth in Kenya. Our anticipated immediate outcomes include increased awareness, improved help-seeking behavior, enhanced resilience, positive attitudes towards persons with mental illness, and more open conversations about mental health. These outcomes will be facilitated by providing accessible and user-friendly tools via the app.

In the long term, we expect to see a reduction in the overall burden of mental health issues, a decrease in suicide mortality rates among youth, increased access to affordable professional services, diversification of psychosocial support to meet niche youth mental health needs, enhanced mental health literacy among youth with lived experiences, and improved organizational wellness and functionality.

To realize these outcomes, we will allocate resources such as human capital, funding, and training materials. Key to our approach is the involvement of individuals with lived experiences as peer champions, agents, and implementers. They will be empowered to lead and drive change within their communities. Additionally, we will engage community stakeholders and establish a network of Rafikis, or community mental health champions, to facilitate the dissemination of mental health information and support.

The anticipated outputs include heightened mental health help-seeking behavior, improved mental wellbeing, and enhanced knowledge of mental health issues among users. The broader outcomes involve expanded access to both peer and professional mental health support, strengthened social support systems, reduced cost barriers to mental healthcare access, and an overall increase in people utilizing mental health services.

Ultimately, the impact extends to the formation of robust social support structures around mental health, a decrease in suicide and suicidal thoughts among youth, and a reduction in the stigma associated with mental illness. Our theory of change centers on empowering youth with lived experiences to lead scalable and sustainable interventions.

IMPACT GOALS:

Boma aims to achieve the following goals:

1. To reduce the Mental Health Burden among African youth by decreasing the prevalence of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorder and trauma by 2030.

2. To increase access to  affordable, quality and professional mental health services for African Youth. 

3. To diversify Psychosocial Support options for African Youth through niche and organic online peer-led support groups.

4. To enhance Mental Health Literacy and awareness among African youth through the provision of educational content, training programs, and resources to promote mental health literacy and destigmatize seeking help for mental health concerns.

5. To improve Organizational Wellness and Functionality for corporate organizations by addressing mental health challenges within the workplace through corporate mental health programs, training sessions, and consultancy services. 

Progress Indicators:

1. Number of BOMA app downloads

2. Number of Active App Users

3. Number of Users accessing Therapy Professionals

4. Number of Organic Peer-Led Support Groups (BOMAs)

5. Number of Trained and Onboarded Peer Mental Health Champions (Rafikis

6. Number of Signed Corporate and Institutional Partnerships

7. Number of Wellness Audits Conducted

8. Number of participants that move from at-risk (ndege) to moderately well (twiga) to resilient (simba).

IMPACT MEASUREMENT

To effectively measure the impact of Mental 360's solution, a variety of impact measurement tools and methodologies will be employed:

1. In-app Surveys and Assessments: These will gather quantitative and qualitative data on mental health symptoms, well-being, and user satisfaction, as well as evolving needs and preferences.

2. BOMA App Analytics: User engagement metrics like active users, session duration, and feature utilization will be analyzed to gauge the effectiveness of interventions.

3. Outcome Tracking: Monitoring changes in mental health symptoms, help-seeking behaviors, access to services, and mental health literacy over time will help assess intervention effectiveness.

4. Focus Groups and Interviews: Qualitative insights from users and stakeholders will complement quantitative data, providing a deeper understanding of impact.

5. Case Studies and Success Stories: Documenting positive outcomes and experiences of beneficiaries will provide compelling evidence of impact and enhance outreach.

6. Partnership and Collaboration Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness of partnerships with other organizations will involve measuring reach, engagement, and outcomes of collaborative initiatives.

7. Social Impact Metrics: Beyond traditional measures, broader social and economic implications such as healthcare cost reductions, productivity improvements, and contributions to social cohesion will be evaluated.

Boma is a modern web application powered by cutting-edge technologies, designed to address global challenges while benefiting communities and the planet. Leveraging cloud platforms like Superbase, Boma ensures scalability, flexibility, and reliability in its operations. The platform utilizes responsive HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for its front-end, providing an intuitive user experience across various devices.

In terms of back-end infrastructure, Boma relies on a robust server-side framework. This framework seamlessly integrates with databases and APIs, facilitating efficient data management and communication between different components of the platform. Security is a top priority, with encryption and authentication protocols implemented to safeguard user data and privacy.

While Boma does not currently utilize artificial intelligence, there are plans to incorporate AI in the future, particularly for content moderation and enhancing the community aspect of the platform. This could involve AI-driven features such as peer support mechanisms and challenges tailored to individual solutions.

To engage users effectively, Boma leverages multiple communication channels. Real-time chats, similar to WhatsApp, allow for one-on-one and group interactions, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among community members. Push notifications are utilized to keep users informed about updates, messages, and relevant activities within the platform. Users can opt to receive notifications via standard push, email, or SMS, depending on their preferences and needs.

In addition to embracing modern technologies, Boma also values traditional knowledge systems and solutions. This includes leveraging centuries-old techniques in areas like agriculture or building practices, as well as exploring plant-based solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. By combining modern and ancestral technologies, Boma aims to provide holistic solutions that address the diverse needs of communities while promoting sustainability and resilience.

Full time staff: 2

Part-time staff: 1

Contractors:  2

Mental 360 has dedicated the past 4 years, since 2020, to the development of the Boma App. Originating from increased demand for our services during the COVID-19 pandemic, its inception was validated by selection into  the competitive Facebook Accelerator program. Subsequently, winning the best growth plan idea Award in Africa during the program further propelled its progress and validated its need. Facebook (now Meta) served as the app's initial funders, and we've been refining and advancing it ever since.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are key priorities during our hiring process, program creation and implementation and service delivery. We are keen to embrace people from different identities, abilities and mental health conditions. 

Our DEI focus is evident in our team composition where 60% of Mental 360’s staff and 40% of the solution’s team are women, with a majority in leadership and departmental roles, as of April 2024. 

Our commitment to inclusion extends to persons with Mental Health Conditions, reflected in our team composition where 80% of the staff and board, including the founder, have lived experience with Mental Health. Given our focus on mental health, the perspectives of a team with lived experience of the same issues we are trying to conquer ensures that our programs are pragmatic and tailored to the needs of the people we serve.

Our DEI emphasis is also evident in our partnerships and programmatic areas. We partner with organizations that work with persons living with disability, and involve Queer Folk in our program creation and implementation process. In Kenya, inclusion for the latter is particularly important since homosexuality is still criminalized leading to an atmosphere of hate and intolerance. This creates unique challenges for the queer community, and in turn, they experience negative mental health outcomes. Our inclusive programming ensures we meet them at this point of need.

In our hiring practices, we strive to minimize barriers by implementing strategies such as blind resume screening and collaborating with organizations that champion underrepresented groups. Additionally, we foster an inclusive environment through flexible work arrangements, resource groups, anti-discrimination policies, cultural celebrations and DEI training.

This year, we've had Gender Diversity training from Kore Global, who serve as Gender Advisors for Grand Challenges Canada, one of our funders. We're also undergoing Safeguarding training from Segal Family Foundation, another supporter. These sessions, along with regular certifications, help us stay current with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) advancements, ensuring our policies, protocols, and programs are up to date.

 We employ regular analysis of employee wellness records and provide a safe feedback channel to help us identify and address areas where we can enhance our efforts towards building a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive team. 

The BOMA app leverages a hybrid model to provide scalable access to youth mental health services while also generating sustainable revenue. For regular users, basic access to peer support communities and self-assessment tools is free. We monetize these users through advertising and offering premium access to mental health professionals for therapy services.

Our key resources include the innovative BOMA app, a team of dedicated peer mental health champions and specialists, a skilled tech team, and a helpline for immediate support. These resources enable us to carry out essential activities such as delivering social support services, implementing mental wellness screening tools, curating relevant mental health content, and facilitating connections with mental wellness professionals.

BENEFICIARIES & VALUE PROPOSITION:

At the heart of our model is the BOMA app, designed to cater to the specific needs of our beneficiaries and customers, the African Youth and corporate clients, respectively. For African youth, BOMA offers access to free peer-led support groups, gamified wellness tracking tools, affordable sessions with mental health professionals, and curated mental health content. For corporate clients, it provides access to a network of mental health professionals, customized peer-led support groups, wellness audits, insurance enablement, and premium mental health content.

IMPACT:

Our model aims not only to provide value but also to drive impactful change. By reducing the mental health burden, increasing access to professional services, diversifying psychosocial support, enhancing mental health literacy, and improving organizational wellness, we seek to make a tangible difference in the lives of our beneficiaries and clients.

To measure our impact, we track various metrics, including the number of active app users, the engagement with therapy professionals, the growth of organic support groups, the training and involvement of peer mental health champions, the number of corporate partnerships, and the completion of wellness audits. Through these wellness audits, we can track usage data at scale to demonstrate impact over time. This enables us to make the business case for improved youth and corporate mental health while informing organizational policies.

REVENUE & SURPLUS

In terms of revenue, we have diversified sources, including grant and investment sourcing, revenue from ads, corporate premium app memberships, therapy services, and custom packages for corporate clients like schools, youth-serving organizations, and companies. These packages provide employee/member access to the platform, tailored wellness audits using our self-assessments, dedicated online support channels, training content, and access to therapists. This revenue enables us to cover our costs, including app development, tech support, marketing, and safeguarding measures, while allowing surplus allocation towards further growth and expansion across Africa.

Through this hybrid model, we aim to not only provide essential mental health services but also to ensure our sustainability and ability to scale our impact across Africa, ultimately contributing to improved mental and organizational health within our communities.

Mental 360 employs an integrated business model where our social enterprise activities overlap with and help fund our social programs.

Our social enterprise operates under a Service Subsidization model, utilizing our counseling expertise and methodologies to offer services such as counseling, mental health training, and team building to both individuals and corporations. The revenue generated from these services directly contributes to funding our programs at Mental 360, including the development of the BOMA App.

Currently, we sell these in-person services to 3 corporate clients and have generated around $30,000 per year. However, we believe that transitioning to a digital platform like the Boma app will allow us to scale this revenue model exponentially. Our projections estimate scaling this to $1.3 million in revenue, which would reduce your reliance on donor funding by up to 90% by 2030.

In addition to the service-based revenue, we also employ a low-income model to provide free counseling and psychosocial support services to those who cannot afford it. We implement it in the low resource communities where we have set up our Wellness Centers.

 Furthermore, for Boma App, we’ve secured social impact funding totaling $100,000 USD from prominent programs such as the Facebook Accelerator program ($50,000 USD) and the Work Together Foundation ($50,000 USD). Some of our key  impact funders, Segal Family Foundation and Dovetail Accelerator have also shown interest in the app.

Moving forward, we are committed to sustaining these diverse revenue streams through continued service provision and fundraising efforts. As the Boma app rolls out, these efforts will intensify, helping us achieve financial sustainability and reduce your dependence on donors.