A year into the pandemic, Drayton Mulindabigwi Jabo, a health sciences student at the University of Ottawa decided to launch the mental health initiative, 20today20tomorrow.
Realizing all the drastic changes that he was faced with, Drayton took it upon himself to create an organization based on helping others feel better in times of distress.
The organization created a mascot named “Healmind/Gueriesprit” that has been drawn on stickers. The stickers are then placed in spots frequently visited by youth, such as schools, malls, busses, etc. Each sticker has also been infused with NFC technology that broadcast positive messages on your screen and guide you towards mental health resources when you tap them with your phone.
Drayton uses inspirational and motivational quotes online, such as the ‘Daily Vibes’ platform, to help him get through difficult times, which is what inspired him to build ’20today20tomorrow’.
“2020 having been a year of hardship, we decided to name it after that saying it will forever be with us. Today/Tomorrow stems from ‘We are the light that came out of all that pain, and we want to spread that to the world’. The main idea behind this initiative is to spread positivity and share mental health awareness and resources.” says Drayton.
20Today20Tomorrow also hosts a bilingual podcast, “Inspire The Next”, where young people, who are looking to inspire others through their actions, to share stories and tips, to motivate one another and to provide an insight on their lives.
This initiative was further developed and financed by the French investment company, AJF.
While stickers are being implemented in Saskatchewan, “20T20T” was also offered a grant by Rising Youth, a program funded by the government of Canada to help expand their product in schools nationwide.
Stickers will launch October 10th 2021 at the University of Ottawa and they hope to land in high schools very soon.
A conference was held, August 30th 2021, where a panel of guest speakers had the chance to discuss the organization and its initiative along with mental health and the stigma it carries. According to Drayton, the conference went better than planned and participants loved the idea. To watch the conference, click here.
You can support the cause and the mission by visiting www.20today20tomorrow.org
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