A Safe Space Built
One Story at a Time
Twayne Safe Haven is a youth-led peer storytelling community helping young Nigerians find safe spaces, real connection, and support for their mental wellbeing.
Founded in 2015, we have grown from one small Facebook group into a community shaped by stories, support, and belonging.
A youth-led community built on
stories, support, and belonging.
Founded in 2015, Twayne Safe Haven creates spaces where young Nigerians can share their stories, build real connection, and feel less alone in what they are carrying.
What began as one young person’s search for a safe place has grown into a community where thousands of young Nigerians can feel seen, heard, and less alone.
A name that began as
a reminder.
TWAYNE began with six words Sammie held onto as a teenager: Talented, Wonderful, Ambitious, Young, Noble, and Enthusiast.
What started as a personal reminder has grown into a shared identity for the community — a reminder that young people are more than their hardest moments.
Before the community,
there was a search.
As a teenager, Sammie was trying to make sense of emotions he did not yet have language for. He needed somewhere to write honestly, but he did not have a laptop or a blog — just a small Nokia phone.
While scrolling through Facebook, he discovered the Groups feature. On January 22, 2015, he created a small private group where he could write honestly and feel less alone.
That small group became the beginning of Twayne Safe Haven. What started as a personal coping space slowly became a community where other young people could share, connect, and find encouragement too.
The values that shape
how we show up.
We lead with care, helping without making the moment about ourselves. In this space, people come before ego.
We practice love as care in action: listening well, checking in, and choosing kindness even when conversations are difficult.
We respond with tact, patience, and care. How we speak matters as much as what we say.
Recognised for building
real community.
In 2019, Twayne Safe Haven was selected for the Facebook Community Leadership Circles in Nigeria.
At 19, Sammie was recognised as one of the young community leaders in Lagos. It affirmed what members already knew: that sincere, well-held communities can make people feel less alone.
That season gave TSH greater visibility and helped online support deepen into offline community.
From a Phone Screen
to a Movement
-
2015
A private Facebook group is created on January 22. The first safe space begins.
-
2017–18
The community grows as more young people begin to find connection and support inside it.
-
2019
TSH is selected for Facebook Community Leadership Circles, bringing wider recognition to the work.
-
2019+
In-person hangouts begin across different Nigerian states, turning digital closeness into real-life community.
-
Today
More than 11 years later, TSH continues to grow in depth, reach, and structure.
From online connection
to real-life community.
Offline Hangouts Across States
One of the biggest turning points in the TSH story came when members began gathering across different Nigerian states. People who had once only known each other through posts and messages were suddenly sharing space, conversation, and memory in person.
Those moments changed the community. TSH was no longer only a digital space. It had become something people could experience in person.
Dynamite
Each year, TSH hosts Dynamite, a gathering built around workshops, reflection, celebration, and meaningful connection. It is one of the clearest expressions of the spirit of the community.
Dynamite makes TSH visible: a place where growth is shared, stories are honoured, and belonging becomes real.
Moments from our
community gatherings.
Over the years, members have gathered across states to turn support into shared physical presence, laughter, and memory.
Showing Up Offline
Moments where online support turned into real physical presence.
Built Through Presence
Every gathering strengthened the sense of home people already felt online.
Belonging in Motion
Conversations moved beyond the screen and into the kind of space people could truly inhabit.
Warmth You Can Feel
The community kept becoming more real each time members gathered face to face.
Community as Culture
These gatherings are part of what gives TSH its emotional texture and depth.
Friendship Made Visible
What started as support online kept unfolding into something joyful and lasting.
More than a decade of
showing up.
What began as one person's need for a safe place to speak has grown into a community reaching young people through storytelling, conversations, gatherings, and peer support.
The future of TSH is about going deeper: stronger programs, better partnerships, wider reach, and more spaces where young people can feel seen without fear.
There is a place
for you here.
Whether you are looking for a place to be heard, a community to grow with, or a partner working with young people, there is a place for you in this story.
Free to join. Safe to be. Always welcome.