Building hope through community

“I chose to pursue a PhD to better understand and respond to the mental health and social challenges I encountered throughout my social work career.”

Working as a social worker in Nigeria, Karamat Ayotola Kelani witnessed the impact of depression, stigma and limited access to support on individuals, families and communities.

“I was concerned about the number of people experiencing depression and other mental health challenges, and I wanted to understand how suicide could be prevented in communities where mental health was often stigmatized, silenced and inaccessible,” she says.

Determined to better understand these challenges and strengthen mental health supports, Kelani pursued a PhD in Social Work at the University of Manitoba. Drawn to the Faculty of Social Work's anti-oppressive approach and focus on marginalized populations, she sought to deepen her research skills while learning from the communities at the centre of her work.

A social worker, educator and researcher, Kelani identifies as a Yoruba woman and a Muslim. Her work is grounded in the belief that communities already possess the knowledge, relationships, cultural traditions and resources needed to address complex social and mental health challenges.

“What motivates me is the belief that communities are not simply recipients of interventions designed elsewhere. They have knowledge, strengths, relationships and resources, and we can build meaningful solutions on them,” she says.

Kelani's commitment to supporting underserved communities led to her doctoral research, which examined suicide awareness and community-based prevention in Makoko, an informal settlement in Lagos, Nigeria. Seeking to understand how people in the community viewed suicide, where they sought help and what supports already existed, she focused on identifying solutions grounded in local knowledge and experience.
 

Kelani’s research resulted in a five-component community suicide-prevention framework designed to build on existing community supports and strengths. By exploring how culture, spirituality, social relationships, poverty, stigma and access to services shape people's experiences of mental health and suicide, Kelani hopes to advance approaches that are culturally relevant, community-driven and accessible to those who might not otherwise reach formal services.

During her doctoral program, Kelani says she learned the importance of listening to lived experience.

“One of the most important things I learned is to listen carefully to people's lived experiences. My doctoral research reinforced that communities must help define problems and develop solutions.”

Kelani credits many people with shaping her doctoral journey, including faculty mentors, colleagues, students and community members. She is especially grateful to her advisor, Dr. Tracey Bone, associate professor in the Faculty of Social Work.

“What I appreciate most about her is how she brings social work values to her supervision. She is supportive, attentive to her students' development and committed to helping them produce their best work.”

Bone says Kelani's enthusiasm for learning and commitment to community-centred research were evident from the beginning.

“When Karamat first contacted me to serve as her advisor, her enthusiasm about gaining advanced knowledge and skills through our PhD program was exciting,” says Bone.

“That enthusiasm continued throughout her program. It was enhanced by her curiosity, perseverance and discipline, all skills necessary to begin and successfully complete a PhD".

The people who participated in her research also left a lasting impression.

“Their openness reminded me that research is ultimately about people. Their stories strengthened my commitment to research that respects people's dignity, knowledge and lived experiences.”
 

As she graduates, Kelani hopes to continue working at the intersection of social work practice, research, teaching and community mental health. She is particularly interested in advancing mental health and suicide-prevention initiatives for racialized, immigrant, Indigenous and other underserved communities.

She also plans to continue developing the community-centred suicide-prevention framework that emerged from her dissertation while mentoring the next generation of social workers and researchers.

“I want my work to bridge the gap between research and practice, so what I learn doesn't stay in academic publications but becomes real change in people's lives,” she says.

For current and future students, Kelani encourages them to stay focused on their purpose, even when the journey feels uncertain.

“Trust the process, even when the path doesn't look the way you first imagined. Keep going, ask for help when you need it, and remember why you started.”

While earning a PhD marks a significant milestone, Kelani sees it as one step in a larger journey.

“For me, completing this PhD is not the end of the journey. I want to take what I have learned and keep serving people and communities, both in Canada and beyond.”