Moner Bondhu: a journey towards impact

In the bustling city of Dhaka, where dreams weave into the fabric of ambition, Tawhida Shiropa arrived with nothing but a fervent desire to achieve something significant. Today, she proudly stands at the helm of Moner Bondhu, a social enterprise reshaping the narrative around mental health in Bangladesh.

Shiropa's journey began after completing her Bachelor's and Master's degrees, launching her career as a journalist with the renowned Prothom Alo. In 2015, her personal life collided with her professional world when her mother was diagnosed with acute depression.

This firsthand experience underscored the critical need for professional mental health care. Simultaneously, Shiropa, overseeing a supplement featuring a confession box at Prothom Alo, received thousands of mental health struggles shared by readers daily.

That is when it sparked! These experiences ignited Shiropa's determination to create change. In 2016, Moner Bondhu emerged as her answer to the need for accessible mental health services. Like the name itself, she wanted to become the friend of the hearts around her, who listens to them with utmost care and empathy.

Every great thing takes time, and Moner Bondhu faced those rollercoaster rides too. Undeterred by the initial lack of investors, Shiropa, alongside like-minded individuals, used their personal savings to kickstart the project.

The turning point came in 2017 when Moner Bondhu secured iDEA funding from Startup Bangladesh. Subsequent grants, including support from Youth Co:Lab, a UNDP and Citi Foundation initiative, propelled Moner Bondhu's growth.

At its core, Moner Bondhu offers a 24/7 hotline accessible through various communication channels, connecting callers with trained first responders. Beyond counseling, they provide a range of support modalities, adapting to the evolving needs exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mighty Coronavirus couldn't stop Shiropa and her team. When the pandemic forced in-person activities to halt, Moner Bondhu swiftly pivoted to an online platform, offering free tele-video counseling. From March to December 2020, they received over 18,000 calls nationwide.

Their collaboration with UNDP's COVID-19 Crisis Response Project focused on psycho-social support, introducing the first-ever 40-hour online mental health course in Bangla, certified by Moner Bondhu.

Amid the challenges, Moner Bondhu remains committed to breaking mental health stigmas. Shiropa and her team run radio and TV shows, maintain popular social media accounts, and produce engaging content to raise awareness.

However, barriers persist, including negotiating with investors in a neglected mental health sector. Shiropa remains resolute in her vision for Moner Bondhu to become a household name and a leading force for change.

Till date, Moner Bondhu has been swift to make our hearts at ease. They are currently operating in 14+ countries with 46 lakhs people reached! They have their paid customer base of 89+ thousands and more. On the other hand, they have provided mental healthcare workshops to 2.5 lakhs workers along with 37+ thousand garment workers.

To fellow social entrepreneurs, Shiropa imparts wisdom, urging them to persevere, view challenges as allies, and channel efforts and confidence toward realizing their ambitions.

In the journey from ambition to impact, Tawhida Shiropa and Moner Bondhu stand as beacons of hope, transforming mental healthcare in Bangladesh, one call at a time.