Where every story
creates magic.
Twayne Safe Haven is a youth-led peer storytelling and mental wellbeing community, founded in Nigeria in 2015 and built entirely through volunteer effort. This page introduces who we are, where we started, and what we're building next.
A community built on
stories, support, and belonging.
Twayne Safe Haven (TSH) creates safe spaces, online and in person, where young Nigerians can share their stories, build real connection, and support one another's mental wellbeing. What began as one teenager's search for somewhere to speak honestly has grown into a community that has reached over 10,000 young people across more than ten Nigerian states.
TSH is youth-led, peer-driven, and non-clinical — we are not a therapy service, but the space many young people find before they are ready to seek one. Eleven years in, we are now formalizing that work: pursuing CAC registration in Nigeria, and preparing to launch our first structured, funded pilot program.
Founded by a 15-year-old
with a Nokia phone.
TSH was founded by Samuel "Sammie" Friday at age 15, during a period of significant hardship for his family — including the loss of his mother's business and their home. Without a laptop or reliable internet, Sammie used a borrowed Nokia phone to create a private Facebook group, a space to write honestly and feel less alone in what he was experiencing.
That small group grew as other young Nigerians found it and began sharing their own stories, entirely through word of mouth and organic community-building — with no external funding or institutional support.
TSH was selected for Facebook's Community Leadership Circles in Nigeria, and Sammie was recognized as one of the young community leaders in Lagos at 19 — early validation that a peer-led model, built from lived experience, could scale.
Eleven years on, TSH has never received institutional funding — its growth has been sustained entirely through volunteer effort. The organization is now working toward formal CAC registration in Nigeria and preparing its first documented, structured pilot program.
"What started as a personal coping space slowly became a community where other young people could share, connect, and find encouragement too."
Recognized for building
real community.
In 2019, Twayne Safe Haven was selected for the Facebook Community Leadership Circles in Nigeria. At 19, Sammie was recognized as one of the young community leaders in Lagos — early, independent validation that a peer-led model built from lived experience could scale.
Read Facebook's announcement of the program →
What we're building,
and why it matters.
Improve young people's mental and emotional wellbeing by building safe, inclusive spaces for storytelling and peer support.
A generation of young people across Nigeria and beyond who are heard, deeply connected, and thriving.
Three ways we
show up.
Storytelling
We create spaces where young people can speak what they've been carrying. Being witnessed is often the first step toward healing.
Connection
We build belonging across states, screens, and backgrounds, so no one has to face their story alone.
Growth
Through programs and peer support, we help young people discover who they are and what they're capable of.
Eleven years,
one story at a time.
- 2015
A private Facebook group is created on January 22. The first safe space begins.
- 2017–18
The community grows as more young people find connection and support inside it.
- 2019
Selected for Facebook Community Leadership Circles; wider recognition follows.
- 2019+
In-person hangouts begin across Nigerian states — digital closeness becomes real community.
- Today
Working toward CAC registration and TSH 101, our first structured, documented pilot.
Eleven years of
showing up.
Real people.
Real stories.
TSH is not just a community, it is home. It was there for me during some of my hardest moments.
I came in struggling with low self-esteem, but the love here helped rebuild my confidence.
Since joining, I've met brilliant minds and learned to believe in myself again.
Whether online or offline, this community feels like family. A judgment-free home.
TSH 101 —
our first structured pilot.
After eleven years as a volunteer-led community, TSH 101 is our first documented, structured program — designed so funders and partners can see clearly what this community does, and what it's capable of.
A four-week cohort reaching 101 young Nigerians, combining online sessions with in-person programming.
A physical gathering in Lagos bringing 30–50 young people together around storytelling and mental health awareness.
Full documentation of the pilot — the first time TSH's work will be captured in a form we can bring to future funders and partners.
Formalizing eleven years
of grassroots work.
Thank you for
taking the time.
We're grateful to Mike Burns for the introduction, and to the C2P2 Board for taking the time to learn about Twayne Safe Haven. We'd welcome the chance to answer any questions or share more about the work.
Samuel "Sammie" Friday, Founder · twaynesafehaven@gmail.com · twaynesafehaven.org