Contestant 1
Boluwatife Feranmi Daramola – Communications Executive
Age: 21
Hello world, I am Boluwatife Feranmi Daramola, a young advocate passionate about mental health and the well-being of young people. My journey has been shaped by moments of personal struggle and the silence I witnessed in my community around mental health. Growing up, conversations about mental wellness were almost nonexistent. Many young people suffered quietly, battling depression, anxiety, and pressure, yet lacked safe spaces to express themselves or seek help.
As a student leader and pageant queen, I faced my own challenges, balancing academics, leadership roles, and advocacy while battling self-doubt and limited resources. But I realized that my silence would not help the next girl or boy struggling to cope. I decided to create a movement where mental health would no longer be hidden in the shadows.
That decision birthed the Mental Health Summit, an initiative I founded to provide safe, engaging platforms for young people to learn, share, and connect. Through this summit, we held workshops, interactive discussions, and peer-to-peer sessions that empowered students to see mental health as a priority, not a weakness. It became a space where stigma was broken, voices were heard, and healing began.
The change I led has impacted others by giving them hope, awareness, and a supportive community. Young people who once felt isolated now see that they are not alone, and that taking care of their minds is just as important as their bodies.
The girl I am today stands on the frontline of mental health advocacy, proving that even in crisis, one voice can spark a movement of change