Talk Hope: A Leo Initiative for Mental Wellness
My name is Leo Kanan Faysal, Immediate Past President of Leo Club of Dhaka One Plus (now charter dropped). The journey that led me to initiate a mental health movement was deeply personal and painful. A few years ago, I lost someone I deeply respected and looked up to — an elder brother figure — to suicide. His sudden death struck me hard and opened my eyes to the silent mental health crisis many young people face. That day, I made a promise to myself: I will do something to ensure no one else suffers in silence.
On February 29, 2024, I, along with a few fellow Leo members and friends, officially launched ‘Talk Hope’, a youth-led platform focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention. What began as a small initiative has now reached over 30,000 students across Bangladesh.
Through Talk Hope, we have conducted in-person seminars, mental health awareness workshops, and interactive sessions in multiple schools and colleges including: Joydebpur Government Girls High School, Nur Mohammad Public School and College, Mohammadpur Government College, Gazirchat A.M. High School, and BM Union School and College.
In each session, we bring along a licensed psychologist to guide students and offer immediate counseling support when needed. Alongside our physical outreach, we also run a free counseling service through our Facebook page, where young people can confidentially talk to professionals and volunteers trained in psychological first aid.
Our initiative is rooted in the Leo spirit of service. Even though Leo Club of Dhaka One Plus is now charter dropped, the spirit of our service lives on through Talk Hope. We are also encouraging new generations to join Leo and Lions Clubs by showing how one idea and some passionate volunteers can make a national impact. Many students have expressed a desire to join Leo Clubs after attending our sessions, which shows the powerful ripple effect of youth-led service projects.
Today, Talk Hope is more than just a project — it’s a promise. A promise to listen, to care, and to act. A promise that no one has to walk through mental darkness alone. And as a Leo, this is how I choose to serve my community — with empathy, with purpose, and with hope.
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