LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), managers of the Ireti Resource Centre, has organised a three-day Mental Health Clinic for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) frontline responders in Lagos State, aimed at strengthening their mental wellbeing and emotional resilience.
The clinic, held from February 3 to 5, 2026, with the theme “Saving the Souls That Serve,” was supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF).
It brought together counsellors, social workers, police officers, health workers, legal practitioners, case managers and other professionals who work directly with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
According to WRAHP, the initiative was designed to address the often-overlooked psychological and emotional toll faced by frontline responders who are constantly exposed to trauma, distressing narratives and emotionally demanding situations.
Such exposure, the organisation noted, places responders at high risk of burnout, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue and emotional exhaustion.
Speaking on the importance of the clinic, WRAHP Executive Director, Bose Ironsi, said the wellbeing of those who support survivors must not be ignored.
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“We often speak about caring for survivors, but we must also care for those who carry these stories every day. You cannot pour from an empty cup. This Mental Health Clinic is about restoring strength, protecting hearts, and ensuring that the people who serve are also supported,” she said.
She explained that the clinic created a safe and restorative space for reflection, healing, learning and renewal, while also equipping participants with practical tools for stress management, emotional regulation and psychological self-care.
Participants described the programme as engaging, insightful and transformative.
Omolola Odutola, a police officer, said the training broadened her understanding of survivor-centred responses.
“Being a frontline responder, the last three days have been engaging, insightful and eye-opening. I learnt new concepts like T-consent and the importance of not being judgemental. This training has expanded my horizon,” she said.
Odutola added that she would apply the lessons by treating survivors with more empathy and respect. “I will try as much as possible to respect survivors, allow them to relax, come down to their level, be their friend and avoid cultural stereotypes, because stereotypes can prevent justice for survivors,” she said, while commending the organisers for bringing together participants from diverse backgrounds.
Also speaking, Amaka Agianpuye, a Lagos-based legal practitioner, described the clinic as timely and necessary, recommending that it be held regularly.
“It is a well-thought-out event. It is a time to unburden, debrief, relax and learn. We are beginning to understand that our mental health matters,” she said.
Agianpuye noted that sessions on coping skills, grounding techniques and deep-breathing exercises stood out for her. “I practised them and felt a lot better. The session on ‘healing the healer’ also resonated with me. We learnt how to set emotional boundaries, balance work and family life, and create our own safe spaces,” she added.
Programme Coordinator of the ZEEC Foundation, Aderemi Blessing, said the clinic had a profound personal and professional impact on her.
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“From being a volunteer to a case manager and programme manager, I have never had an experience like this, where you can express yourself, share personal stories and learn how to connect with survivors while maintaining emotional boundaries,” she said.
Blessing added that the training helped her understand the importance of taking breaks, debriefing and peer support.
“As a workaholic, I often go on without stopping. This programme taught me the psychological importance of shutting down, debriefing and seeking peer support, because listening to survivors daily makes you accumulate a lot without realising it,” she said.
WRAHP noted that by investing in the mental wellbeing of frontline responders, the organisation is strengthening the quality, sustainability and humanity of SGBV response systems in Lagos State.
It added that healthy and supported responders are better positioned to provide empathetic, ethical and effective services to survivors.
The initiative forms part of AWDF’s broader commitment to strengthening survivor-centred systems and promoting the wellbeing of those who uphold them.