In Bangladesh, mental health remains a deeply stigmatized and often overlooked issue.
Despite growing global awareness, discussions around depression, emotional trauma, or
suicide are still avoided in most Bangladeshi communities. In this environment of silence,
one youth-led initiative is creating space for dialogue, understanding, and healing. That
initiative is Talk Hope, a national mental health awareness and suicide prevention
movement founded by Md Saddam Hossain Roni under his organization SHADOW —
Society for Humanity And Development Over the World.
The story of Talk Hope begins with tragedy. On February 27, 2024, a dedicated and
promising volunteer of SHADOW took their own life. The loss was devastating, shaking the
entire organization and especially Roni, who had built a close-knit community of young
changemakers. Grieving and searching for answers, Roni realized that despite their
humanitarian efforts, they had missed signs of someone silently suffering. Just two days
later, on February 29, 2024, he launched Talk Hope — a project born from loss, committed
to ensuring that no other young person feels unseen, unheard, or alone.
Talk Hope is designed as a sustainable, youth-led platform for suicide prevention, mental
health awareness, emotional support, and psychological first aid. It trains volunteers to
listen empathetically, provides virtual peer support sessions, and organizes educational
workshops and awareness seminars both online and in communities. The initiative engages
with schools, universities, and local organizations to build a culture of open mental health
dialogue — replacing stigma with sensitivity and silence with support.
Understanding the importance of responsible and informed intervention, Roni undertook a
series of global certifications to build his own capacity and shape the initiative around
evidence-based approaches. He completed a Psychological First Aid certification from Johns
Hopkins University, a course on Gender Analytics from the University of Toronto, and an
Introduction to Psychology from Yale University. These courses helped lay a solid
foundation for Talk Hope, where empathy is backed by expertise.
To further strengthen the project’s capacity, Talk Hope works in collaboration with the
Bangladesh Psychological Association (BPA). Many licensed psychologists from BPA
voluntarily support the platform by helping train its youth volunteers, guiding emotional
support protocols, supervising psychological first aid cases, and conducting expert sessions.
This professional backing has added significant credibility and impact to the initiative.
Before founding Talk Hope, Roni had already earned recognition as a youth leader and
social activist. Born on May 7, 1994, in Cumilla, he began his journey in service through
Rotary International, where he rose through various youth leadership roles. Over the years,
he founded SHADOW, an organization working in disaster relief, education, youth
leadership, and human rights. He is a Paul Harris Fellow (PHF +6), recipient of the Rotary
Youth Leadership All-Star 2017 (Top 5 globally) recognition, and serves as Chief Adviser of
the Rotary Interact Alumni Association of South Asia. His leadership also extends to
professional roles, including as Brand Development Officer at Sthapona Architectural
Consultants Ltd., and CEO of SHADOW IT.
Roni’s vision is not just to lead — but to empower. Through Talk Hope, he and his team
hope to normalize mental health conversations, foster peer-based support systems, and
help build an emotionally resilient generation. He believes that the youth of Bangladesh
have the strength to support one another — if only they are given the tools and space to do
so.
"Hope is not a slogan," says Roni. "It's a bridge between silence and survival. We are simply
building that bridge — one conversation at a time."
Looking ahead, Talk Hope plans to launch a national mental health web portal, establish
mental health clubs in schools and universities, build a stronger counselor referral network,
and collaborate with more public and private institutions to take mental health advocacy to
every corner of the country.
From a moment of unbearable grief emerged a mission of healing. Today, Talk Hope stands
as a beacon for countless young people — reminding them that being vulnerable is not
weakness, and seeking help is an act of courage.
