Moner Bondhu has a 24/7 hotline, a user-friendly App, a website, trained and experienced counselors, and cutting-edge technology to provide accessible mental health services. Its unique focus on technology, including apps and interactive mental health games, sets it apart in the industry.
Moner Bondhu, founded in 2016 by Ms. Tawhida Shiropa, is the largest mental healthcare and well-being startup in Bangladesh. With a deeply personal motivation stemming from her mother's battle with severe depression, Ms. Shiropa set out to make professional counseling accessible and affordable. This tech mental health startup’s mission is to make mental health and wellbeing services affordable and accessible using technology and a human-centric approach.
In Bangladesh, the imperative for mental health services and well-being initiatives arises from diverse contexts. The cultural stigma surrounding mental illness, compounded by ingrained beliefs, frequently deters individuals from seeking assistance. Moreover, limited accessibility to trained professionals and facilities, particularly in rural locales, obstructs many from accessing essential care. Socioeconomic barriers such as poverty and unemployment further compound the prevalence of mental health disorders. Additionally, the psychological strain of demanding work environments underscores the critical necessity for accessible and comprehensive mental health support networks throughout the nation. Recognizing these challenges, Moner Bondhu, an innovative startup in Bangladesh, emerged with a mission to provide superior mental health services, aiming to bridge existing gaps in care provision.
Moner Bondhu has a 24/7 hotline, a user-friendly App, a website, trained and experienced counselors, and cutting-edge technology to provide accessible mental health services. Its unique focus on technology, including apps and interactive mental health games, sets it apart in the industry. The primary challenge for Moner Bondhu has been a lack of awareness about mental health. However, the organization has addressed this challenge through awareness-building campaigns and outreach efforts.
Moner Bondhu has achieved significant milestones, including winning the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge award, the UN Women Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards, and the "5th Commonwealth Digital Health Awards." In 2023, Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched the new website of Moner Bondhu that has made mental health services more accessible. With iDEA as its first investor, Moner Bondhu has experienced exponential growth and has become the leading mental health organization in Bangladesh.
Moner Bondhu reached over 5.3 million people worldwide and has a paid customer base of 100,000. Moner Bondhu also provided mental healthcare workshops to 2.5 lakh workers, including 37,000 garment workers. The organization employs 45+ individuals, with a female-to-male gender ratio of 65:35. Looking ahead, Moner Bondhu aims to revolutionize the mental health industry with scientific AI interventions.