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Founded in 2020 by Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh, Takalam is an online mental health counseling platform based in the UAE. Takalam, which means “to speak” in Arabic, connects individuals and entities directly with professional advisors through a private and personalized digital experience using video, audio and instant messaging, with the option to remain anonymous, with meetings in Arabic and available in English.
“Our mission is to promote well-being and pursue a healthy mindset by providing online consultation to anyone, anytime, anywhere,” said co-founder and CEO Hamad. The team also aims to disrupt the industry through content creation and campaigns Cultural stigma surrounding mental health, and creating social impacts for the benefit of society. “The general lack of such services, coupled with the high demand in the market, prompted us to try to fill this gap,” Hamad said.
Prior to entrepreneurship, Hammad held various positions with various government entities in Abu Dhabi, including the Emirates Foundation and twofour54, where he was responsible for business development, strategic partnerships, and media and communications, while Shashieh held senior management positions at both companies Proven track record in the position. Private and government entities in the UAE. Hamad said the main motivation for the pair to embark on the entrepreneurial journey was their personal experiences.
“We were dealing with depression and anxiety, and there was no easy way to access professional support, largely due to logistical constraints and cultural judgement,” recalls Hamad. “We have actually known each other for over 12 years and have always aspired to make a positive impact on people’s lives. We are proud of Takalam and its continued impact on our community and look forward to expanding in service and geography as we Scaling the business in the coming months.”
Source: Takaram
While it can be difficult to run a business during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two have found it to be beneficial to their business. “When we started discussing this idea in early 2020, before the pandemic, it was more challenging because the subject was such a taboo,” Hamad noted. “As the pandemic began, as demand started to rise, things changed. It’s become much easier, mental health issues are discussed more openly, and many awareness initiatives and helplines have been established around the world.” As downloads of mental health platforms start to rise during the global pandemic, increased adoption and new Regulations also support the deployment of new startups.
Hamad also noted that prominent organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have stated that the world’s population is at risk of a mental health crisis. “Six months after being diagnosed with COVID-19, one in three patients developed a mental health disorder, primarily anxiety or depression,” Hamad said. “The events we are experiencing in the aftermath of the pandemic And what has happened since is another key reason why we have been able to accelerate our build and delivery, with the support of key government and private sector stakeholders and, more importantly, the renewed willingness of individuals to take up this service ,”she says. “Right now, talking to professionals is more of a way to exercise your mind, similar to how you exercise your body, and the two are very intertwined, because as anyone who exercises regularly can tell you, exercise has significant mental benefits. “
Related: Four ways businesses can support employee mental health during COVID-19
Source: Takaram
So, what makes Takalam different from other wellness platforms? In this regard, Hamad proudly said: “This is our cultural understanding of the nuances involved in solving this problem. Perception and stigma play a large role in people’s willingness to seek help, and changing this dynamic requires more than just having advanced technology or technical issues.” products, but a holistic approach centered on awareness and stakeholder engagement. Hamad says it’s crucial to understand the stigma and play an encouraging role. “Being part of this community, understanding the culture and having the ability to connect with the right stakeholders is crucial.” “
On the technology side, the platform caters to three distinct groups through unique user journeys, tailored for individuals, employers and mental health professionals. It was crucial to ensure that the platform was an approachable solution, one that the co-founders built to provide a sense of companionship rather than the traditional clinical experience that often inadvertently caused concern. “The traditional model inadvertently creates the impression that anyone who needs such support is ‘sick’, even though most of the conditions they face are not illnesses but may be burnout, stress, financial stress, grief over the loss of a loved one Loved ones, or various other factors.”
Source: Takaram
It’s no wonder that Takalam was well-positioned to seize the opportunity in time – in fact, the team was able to deliver a pilot project for frontline workers at Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) during the height of the global pandemic. Since then, everything has come together and Takalam has achieved one successful milestone after another. Takalam’s partners and supporters include Ma’an, DOH Tech-Hub, Plug n Play, Zayed University, and the Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development. its first customer. Individuals can choose to book on a per-session or per-package basis, while employers can offer their employees customized journeys based on their needs and requirements.
Takalam is now backed by Hub71, which provides it with generous exposure and incentive support. It was also selected to participate in Hub71’s Demo Day in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, where the team received funding for new talent. Hammad noted: “Being in this ‘cradle’ allows us to benefit from expertise and networks, as well as access to talent, which has truly become a force multiplier for Takalam and accelerated our growth.” Now, the team is preparing Hammad concluded : “We are just a few steps away from closing a seed round of funding that will help us grow in the UAE and expand our business into Saudi Arabia, where there is strong interest in Takalam.”
“TREP TALK: Q&A with Khawla Hammad, co-founder and CEO of Takalam
Do you think now is still a good time for people to realize their entrepreneurial dreams? What advice do you have for preparing entrepreneurs for the journey ahead?
“From our perspective, there is never a good time to pursue your dreams. No matter what happens, if you have enough passion and goals, you will go all out to achieve them. Also, remember, some of the best Most new startups in today’s world were launched during the 2018 recession. Some advice from me is: When starting out, either take a leap of faith or a leap of faith. Accept and embrace failure, but try to fail fast and iterate. Finally, enjoy the journey and keep learning.”
Related: Fighting stigma through digitalization: Abu Dhabi’s MindTales aims to promote mental health through its AI-powered platform
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