Today: February 9, 2025
While social media content today mostly highlights perfection, Joseph Bamisile wanted a space that depicts authenticity and realness. Instead of contributing to the endless scroll of curated images and life updates, Bamisile wanted to create something that gave rise to healthy minds and genuine human interactions. This vision was achieved with Maunda, a social media application designed to help people connect and share their experiences with mental health challenges.
The story of how Bamisile brought Maunda into existence is as inspiring as the app. As a talented basketball player, Bamisile has always been in the limelight. However, his college years were characterized by transferring to four colleges within a year, and this was accompanied by loneliness and anxiety. Such disarrays forced him to go for therapy, whereby he learned the need for mental health. Bamisile realized that despite social media being a powerful means of being connected with people in society, it only worsened the feeling of isolation of the individuals. This realization gave birth to Maunda, a platform with a different focus. A community where users are motivated to manage their mental health in an uplifting, community-driven environment.
Maunda is focused on shifting social media usage from superficial metrics to uplifting, meaningful interactions. Unlike other platforms that push for virality and popularity, Maunda removes the pressure of follower counts, likes, and comments. Maunda doesn’t allow photos and videos (however links to outside websites can be posted), centering on authentic, text-based content. This encourages users to uplift each other through meaningful exchanges.
Maunda’s feed, ‘Uplift’, is a core feature designed thoughtfully for a positive experience. Users share inspiring thoughts or random reflections, contributing to the creation of an atmosphere of encouragement. Every post earns two points towards a user’s Maunda score. There is no option for users to view the likes and comments on other posts, enhancing the feed’s authenticity.
Maunda replaces likes with “loves” and followers with “supporters,” emphasizing a deeper sense of connection. Bamisile truly incorporates “No virality, no algorithm.” This approach uplifts users by freeing them from the pressures of seeking validation through visual content or numbers.
Furthermore, the ‘Vanishing Journal’ feature, as its name states, disappears periodically. The idea behind this feature corresponds to the psychotherapeutic approach to letting go of the past. Another significant aspect of Maunda is its ‘Meditation Offerings,’ which provide users with different types of meditation. Users can meditate individually or in a group, promoting a sense of community among them. The ‘Streak System’, ‘Points System,’ and ‘Leaderboard’ encourage users to continue their mental health routines.
What truly sets Maunda apart, though, is the purpose for which it was made. Nabil Rezqui, co-founder of Maunda, understands that mental health is something that affects not only a person but also society as a whole. He has his own vision of mental health, stating that it requires connection—both with oneself and with others. Rezqui’s approach to mental health is holistic, recognizing that personal struggles are often accompanied by feelings of isolation.
Bamisile is a master’s degree student at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) pursuing a major in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling and is committed to the field of mental health. His work with Maunda shows that he wants to improve people’s lives by providing practical and impactful tools and resources. Although the app is relatively new, the feedback from the users has been quite encouraging, which gives confidence that Bamisile’s idea is resonating with those who need it most.
Joseph Bamisile’s story is not just about inventing an app; it’s about inspiring lives using his own experiences. Maunda’s features, especially its dismissal of virality and its emphasis on supporters instead of followers, continue to place it at the forefront of digital welfare.
kamariya Weston is a marketing professional and freelance writer based in London. She has a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Westminster and has worked in the marketing industry for over seven years. kamariya westons writing has been published in various online publications, covering topics such as social media marketing, content marketing, and digital advertising. In her free time, kamariya weston enjoys traveling, cooking, and practicing photography.