Project Juani
A fiscally sponsored project of 501(c)(3) non-profit Empowerment WORKS
Juani began in 2023 and was created to address the unmet healthcare needs of women in Sega, Kenya - a rural village approximately 1.5 hours by car from the city of Kisumu. Our name is derived from Swahili and literally means "in the sun" while the verb Kujua means "to know." We hope this project lives up to its name and brings knowledge, hope, and empowerment to the women of Sega so that they may experience many sunny days ahead. Juani was founded by a group of clinical and public health practitioners and women's health champions seeking to improve reproductive and maternal health outcomes in Siaya County. We have ties to the land, people, and culture of this village, and we hope you'll join us in bringing evidence-based medicine to the women and girls of Sega.
Our Mission & Vision
Improving the lives of women and girls in rural Kenya through healthcare, education, and empowerment. We envision a future where all women are safe from violence, are empowered to make their own healthcare decisions, and can access the care they need.
A recent needs assessment highlighted several concerns affecting women within this community.
We're prioritizing initiatives to address four focus areas:
The Wilson Center
To address these needs, we're building The Wilson Center for Women to bring preventive health services to women and girls in Siaya County. Our initial efforts will focus on increasing cervical and breast cancer screening rates and delivering health education. We anticipate our Level 2 medical clinic will be able to welcome our first patient before 2024 comes to a close. Visit The Wilson Center and watch our progress as our clinic nears completion.
We continue to accept tax deductible monetary and in-kind donations to cover our operational and programmatic expenses. Your contribution of approximately...
$7 pays for cervical cancer screening for one woman
$18 pays for ultrasound imaging which can assist in the diagnosis of breast and uterine conditions
$58 pays for eight hours of health education delivery to our CBO members
Our Community-Based Organization
Juani is a Community Based Organization (CBO) registered with the Directorate of Social Development in Siaya County. Our CBO has 48 registered members and continues to grow. Membership is open to women (and supporters of women!) living in Siaya County. To become a member, contact maureen@juani.org.
Maureen Onyango, Project Site Coordinator and CBO Chairperson
Jack Oduor, Clinical Officer and CBO Vice Chairperson
Lenox Oduor, CBO Secretary
Sharon Kasiti
Nurse
Millicent Kaimenyi
Development Officer
Violet Ombati
Attorney
Reagan Odhiambo
Security Guard
Our U.S. Footprint
We're a team of volunteers determined to make preventive healthcare more accessible to women in Kenya. We primarily work remotely throughout the U.S. to support our team in Sega as they implement educational programming and prepare for the opening of The Wilson Center. We have expertise in public health, medicine, social work, engineering, and communication - and we've been working tirelessly to ensure our vision becomes a reality. In 2023, 14 volunteers and interns across the globe donated over 740 hours to Juani, an investment worth more than $28,000 USD.
A Message from the Directors
We created Juani in 2023 to bring preventive healthcare to women in Siaya County. John grew up in Lwero, a village within this county, and we've seen first hand the poverty, sickness, and suffering that persists today. As nurses, we're tackling healthcare, because it's what we know and because it's what the community needs. We’ve built The Wilson Center for Women on our family’s land, named after John’s father, Wilson Onyango. We're personally and professionally invested in this project and we hope you'll join us in bringing primary care to women and girls in rural Kenya.
We're tremendously grateful to everyone who has contributed to our project, especially our volunteers and interns, who who have collectively devoted more than 1,000 hours to ensuring the success of our project.
Sincerely,
The Onyangos
John Onyango, BBA, Nurse
Sara Onyango, DHSc, MPH, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, CHES