Support the Mental Health of Nigeria's 20 Million Unpaid Caregivers

Caregiving in Nigeria falls almost entirely on women and is almost entirely invisible. An estimated 20 million Nigerians provide unpaid care for a family member with a disability, chronic illness, or age-related dependency. The burden produces documented rates of depression, anxiety, and physical illness among caregivers — but they are never the target of mental health interventions because they are always positioned as the support person, not the one who needs support. Your challenge is to design a mental health and wellbeing support programme specifically for unpaid caregivers in Nigeria. It must be accessible to caregivers who cannot leave their care responsibilities for more than an hour, be available via WhatsApp and voice call, provide practical respite planning help as well as emotional support, and connect caregivers with peer networks of people in similar situations. Submit a programme design document (max 12 pages) including: the service model (what is offered and how), how caregivers are identified and reached, the WhatsApp and voice delivery design, peer network structure, respite planning tools, professional supervision model, cost per caregiver reached, and a plan to support 20,000 caregivers in two states within 12 months. Judging criteria: 35% service model fit for caregiver constraints, 30% WhatsApp and voice delivery design, 20% peer network and respite planning, 15% identification and reach plan.