Meet the 2025 Mental Health Scholarship Winners!

We're thrilled to announce the incredible roster of scholarship winners in our 7th year of scholarships, each of whom carries with them tremendous power, spirit, and wisdom. We feel honored to support them on their journeys as mental health advocates for the self and community, and can't wait to see this global cohort make waves no matter where they go from here! With such an impressive application pool, we also offered numerous other resources to all applicants as recognition of their incredible fight, including but not limited to free books and career opportunities.

Now, read on to find out more about this groundbreaking cohort of awardees in their own words!

2025 Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship Winner

Nesta Nezerwe

Burundi, Rwanda

"Not by choice, since 2015, I have carried the identity of a Burundian refugee in Rwanda. Leaving everything in Burundi was a stark transition, yet resilience sustained my mental health. Being the grand winner goes beyond awards, affirming my power to become an advanced changemaker significantly impacting refugee mental well-being in Rwanda. Deep gratitude to Letters to Strangers for this possibility; the award will advance my advocacy through conducting research on the mental health of refugees in Rwanda and my college expenses."

2025 Mental Health Warrior Scholarship Winner

Eca Elelwa

Democratic Republic of Congo

"I am writing to express my heartfelt thanks for selecting me as a recipient of the Letters to Strangers Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship. I am honored to accept this award, which will provide me with access to the mental health support I need to thrive both personally and academically.

As a Congolese student pursuing a major in neuroscience with a minor in biomedical engineering, I have always been passionate about understanding the brain and its impact on human well-being. My long-term goal is to attend medical school and become a healthcare provider who prioritizes compassion, cultural awareness, and inclusive care especially for patients from underserved communities.

This support means more to me than words can express. In many African communities, including my own, mental health is often misunderstood or overlooked. Seeking help can feel isolating and unfamiliar. This scholarship not only eases a financial burden, but it also empowers me to prioritize my well-being without guilt or hesitation—and to set an example for others in my community who may be struggling in silence.

Balancing school, work, and personal responsibilities can be overwhelming at times, but with this scholarship, I am able to take meaningful steps toward healing and growth. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to care for myself in ways that were previously out of reach.

Thank you again for your generosity and for recognizing the importance of mental health support. This scholarship is more than financial assistance. It is a powerful reminder that it’s okay to ask for help, and that my wellness truly matters.”

2025 Mary Louther Changemaker Prize Recipient

(Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship Runner-Up)

Chiamaka Juliet Osueke

Nigeria

"Being selected as a runner-up for the Letters to Strangers Mental Health Changemakers Scholarship is a deeply humbling and empowering recognition of my journey and commitment to mental health advocacy and impact. As someone who has experienced the trauma of displacement and witnessed first-hand the silent struggles within underserved communities, this award validates the importance of healing and resilience. It fuels my passion to continue creating safe spaces, especially for women, girls, and persons with disabilities in crisis-affected areas. This recognition is not just a personal milestone, it is a call to action to scale mental health access, amplify underrepresented voices, and remind others that even in the darkest moments, hope and change are possible. Thank you for the honour and recognition."

2025 Mary Louther Finalist Prize Recipients

(Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship Finalists)

Toni Moize

United States

(she/her)

"What does this scholarship award mean to me? I am an older student planning on going to a university. I struggled with attending a “normal” school/university. I have the chance to attend Gallaudet University or Eastern University. With this award, I can put the funds toward books, equipment, and other things I might need. I understand that it is $500. Even that amount will help the burden of something that I will need for my future career.

When I learned that I was awarded, I could not believe it. This is my first time seeking scholarship help because I usually have Federal Financial Aid. Because of the Department of Education being the way it is, leaning on scholarships has expanded my way of thinking. In the future, I would like to get two scholarships to help other students move forward with their dreams. One scholarship for teachers because that is what my mom did for 30-plus years until she retired. And the second scholarship would be for a hard-of-hearing person who has been mainstreamed and wants to go to Gallaudet. That scholarship would not only be for them to use at the school but also to extend their knowledge of American Sign Language.

So, with this, I am saying thank you to “Letters to Strangers Mental Health ChangesMakers Scholarships” for this amazing opportunity.”

Tatianna Dugue

United States

(she/her)

"My name is Tatianna Dugue, and it is such a privilege to be recognized as a finalist awardee in Letters to Strangers' Changemaker Scholarship. I have admired the mission of Letters to Strangers for several years now and feel so honored to be working within the same shared mission of increasing accessibility in mental health and recognizing each and every person's unique story. This scholarship brings me one step closer in my education and training to become a Clinical Psychologist who serves with humility, fervor, and creativity."

Oleksandr Sharlai

Ukraine

(he/his)

"Being selected as a scholarship awardee is both an honor and a powerful reminder that my voice and work in mental health truly matter. As a Ukrainian refugee and community college student pursuing a future in psychiatry, this recognition reassures me that I am on the right path.”

Kate Landis

United States, Canada

(she/her)

"I am honored to be a recipient of the Mental Health Changemaker Scholarship! As I pursue a graduate degree to help children struggling with mental illness, I am grateful for opportunities such as this scholarship that will aid in my endeavors. Being a recipient of this award makes me feel encouraged, supported and motivated to continue to work hard in my passion of helping children with mental illness, and I hope to bring hope to their lives with the work I will do."

Nora Sun

United States

(she/her)

"I am deeply honored to be a recipient of the Mary Louther Finalist Prize. This award will help me finish my undergraduate education at Harvard University and pursue postgraduate plans to advance mental health equity through both community service and academic research. Letters to Strangers, thank you so much for all your support during this journey!"

Kyra Wagner

United States

"Being selected as a Mary Louther Finalist is an incredible honor that affirms the path I’ve chosen. As someone who has navigated mental health struggles, both personally and alongside friends and family, I’ve witnessed the urgent need for compassionate, accessible care. I’m committed to becoming a child psychologist, mental health policy reformer, and entrepreneur creating innovative tools that support healing in underserved communities. This award reminds me that even the most personal challenges can fuel powerful change."

Aceriane Leal

Brazil

(she/her)

"Being selected as a finalist for this scholarship deeply affirms my dedication to mental health advocacy. It fuels my determination and renews my hope to keep elevating the voices of those too often overlooked or silenced. This recognition is more than an honor; it is a powerful reminder that this work matters. I am proud and humbled to be part of a community committed to making meaningful change. 

Gayathri Vanka

United States

"Being awarded this scholarship is both an honor and a catalyst for my work in mental health accessibility. Growing up in a city with severe mental health care disparities inspired me to launch the Project Pink Foundation, working to break stigmas and create innovative solutions for underserved communities. This recognition validates the importance of approaching mental health challenges through both technical innovation and human storytelling. With this support, I can deepen my biomedical engineering studies, gain hands-on mental health training, and connect with changemakers who share my vision. More than just funding my education, this scholarship invests in countless face-to-face conversations yet to happen, in stigmas waiting to be broken, and in a future where no one's mental health needs are dismissed or diminished, regardless of gender or zip code."

---

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Changemaker Scholarship Winner and Warrior Scholarship Winner each received $3000 USD for mental health higher education/personal advocacy and healthcare treatment costs respectively. The Mary Louther Changemaker Prize Recipient received $1000 USD towards mental health higher education/personal advocacy, and the Mary Louther Finalist Prize Recipients received $500 USD each towards mental health-related higher education/personal advocacy. Additional prize winners were offered scholarships toward ADHD coacing and other services offered by our partners at Shimmer.

The 2025 Scholarship Applicants included entrants from the U.S., Nepal, UAE, UK, Hong Kong, India, Ghana, Guatemala, Cameroon, Burundi, Rwanda, Cherokee, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Poland, Bangladesh, Ireland, Lebanon, Congo, Malawi, Liberia, Philippines, Australia, Germany, Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, Iran, Colombia, Italy, Vietnam, Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, Canada, Haiti, Portugal, China, Peru, Russia, Jamaica, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Croatia, South Korea, Senegal, New Zealand, Ukraine, Cape Verde, Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Lumbee Tribe, Puerto Rico, Greece, and Eswatini. The majority identified as Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color, while between 5-10% identified as a member of the LGBTQ+ community across both scholarships.

To learn about the Letters to Strangers Mental Health Scholarships, please check out this page here.